Tarnished Silver
by drizzleandflames
Summary: Two things in her life she had never been able to ignore. The shadows of the past and the call of a wizard. / Gandalf goes over Thorin's head and recruits a druid to join them on the quest for Erebor. She turns out to be a valiant addition, though there is trouble of a different kind she might stir up. / Fili/OC
1. Bag End

**Alright, so I was somehow sucked back into this fandom recently after a long, long time away.**

**So, I'm back with this fic, which I hope someone will enjoy!**

* * *

She adjusted her position on the saddle as she leant forward slightly to read the road sign she had come to.

„Shire - 8 miles"

A small sigh escaped her as she glanced up at the sky, which was slowly beginning to turn red with the setting of the sun. Gandalf had reminded her not to be late when he invited her to this meeting, she thought, but by how things were looking, she would definitely not make it in time for supper.

„Come on, Lithen," she said and gave her pony a small nudge. The dun-coloured steed immediately fell back into step with a quiet snort and increased his speed slightly as Arinna gave him another nudge. She followed the path for another hour while the sky above rider and steed grew darker and the stars appeared. By then she had crossed over the edge of the Shire and had Lithen trot slowly along the small streets that led past neatly kept fences around fields and hobbit-holes. Arinna looked at every door she came by, keeping her eyes peeled for the marking Gandalf had told her to look for. It was another half hour later that she finally came across it, almost missing it entirely for how small the rune was.

She halted Lithen and dismounted swiftly, not actually bothering to tie his reins around one of the fenceposts that surrounded the hobbit-hole. „You wait here, my friend," she uttered instead and patted his neck lovingly. The pony neighed quietly and Arinna fumbled a small apple out of her pocket and fed it to him before she turned and walked up to the big round door with Gandalf's marking on it.

She gave the door two sharp knocks and waited, noticing that the hobbit-hole was lit from within, though she could hear no voices from inside. As she waited, she cleared her throat slightly and scraped her boots on the doormat that she was standing on. It only took a few moments until she heard the doorknob being turned on the other side and the round, green door swung open, revealing a young hobbit with curly brown hair and a deep frown on his face standing on the other side.

„Good evening," Arinna greeted the Halfling with a friendly smile. „Is Gandalf here?"

The hobbit just sighed and nodded, stepping aside to let her in. „I suppose you're with the dwarves, as well," he said in a slight grumble. Arinna kept the friendly smile on her face.

„I came for Gandalf," she answered, earning another small frown in return. „My name is Arinna."

The hobbit looked slightly surprised when she bowed her head at him in greeting, though he seemed to gather himself after a moment's hesitation. „Bilbo Baggins," he introduced himself. „Pleased to meet you. They're all gathered in my dining room, you'll find Gandalf there, too. Here, I'll show you through."

Arinna nodded and followed Bilbo through the hall to the dining room, where she was met with the sight of a large group of dwarves sat around a long table. It seemed as though all conversation had ceased before she had even entered the room and they were all eyeing her suspiciously as she approached behind the hobbit.

„Ah, Arinna," Gandalf greeted her with a smile, and it was only then that she spotted him sitting by the head of the table, next to a dark-haired dwarf whose steely blue eyes were trained on her. „You are almost on time."

Arinna returned the wizard's smile with a small one of her own, inclining her head in greeting. „I was delayed."

Gandalf just looked at her for a moment and then nodded, swiftly changing the subject. „Indeed," he said. „Well, I am afraid you've missed most of the meeting as well as supper. Though I'm sure Bilbo will be happy to provide something for you. Won't you, Bilbo?"

Arinna's gaze fell on the hobbit again, who had been standing next to her this whole time. He looked a little startled and not entirely inclined to follow Gandalf's request, though he didn't seem to want to refuse the wizard either.

„Only if it's no trouble, Mr. Baggins," she told him then. „I am fine using some of my own provisions later."

„Oh," Bilbo muttered, looking at her for a moment before he shook his head. „No, no. No, that shan't be necessary. I'll fetch you something from the pantry. If the dwarves have left anything to spare."

Arinna's eyebrows rose slightly as the hobbit turned and walked away and she heard him mutter the last sentence under his breath.

„Well, now -" Gandalf began but was abruptly interrupted by the dark-haired dwarf next to him.

„Before we go on with the pleasantries," he grumbled in his deep voice, sending first her and then Gandalf a dark look. „Would you care to explain why you have invited a stranger into our midst, Gandalf?"

The grey wizard held the dwarf's gaze for a moment before he cleared his throat and pointed a hand toward Arinna. „Thorin, this is Arinna of Evendim," he answered, the attention of everyone in the room shifting from him back to the woman before them. „She is a skilled healer and a dear friend of mine. I mean for her to be the fifteenth member of your company. Arinna, this is Thorin, son of Thrain, leader of our company."

Arinna inclined her head toward the dwarf but received no such gesture in return. Instead, his gaze remained cold and suspicious, as did those of most of his companions. She took a moment to look around the table. There were thirteen dwarves sat at it in total, and Arinna cleared her throat quietly with the weight of thirteen pairs of eyes resting heavily on her.

„We already have a healer amongst us," Thorin rumbled. „Oin is the best healer the Ered Luin have to offer. We have no need for a second."

„What did he say?" A grey-haired dwarf asked loudly and Arinna watched him put a battered hearing trumpet to his ear. She heard Thorin sigh quietly while another dwarf, a big fellow with a bald head and tattoos covering his skin, repeated his words into his hearing trumpet.

„He said you are the best healer the Ered Luin have to offer!"

„Oh!", exclaimed Oin with an approving smile. „Of course. Of course, they are softer."

„Be that as it may," Gandalf interrupted with a wave of his hand. „Arinna is of the druids of Evendim. She possesses skills that go beyond those of any healer of the Blue Mountains. Or indeed most other places. You would count yourself lucky to have her with you on your journey."

It was at that moment that Bilbo returned with a plate of food in his hands. He looked around the room shortly, obviously sensing the tension, before he handed the plate over to Arinna with a small smile. She thanked him quietly, taking the plate of hot broth and two pieces of fresh bread. Then she turned back to the company.

„I do not want to impose," she spoke evenly. „In light of the fact that you were not informed of my coming, I shall give you some space to discuss and decide whether you would like me to join you. And indeed, I will need a moment to gather my own thoughts on it. So, please, continue and finish your meeting. I will wait outside."

She gave a short nod in return to the surprised looks from the dwarves and turned to walk back to the front door. However, Bilbo quickly stopped her.

„It is getting rather chilly outside," he uttered, his voice slightly nervous but kind. „You may want to wait in the living room. I've just put on the fire. It's down the hall to the left. Please, make yourself comfortable."

„That's very kind of you, Mr. Baggins," Arinna answered with a smile. „Thank you."

And with that she walked off, making her way to the living room as Bilbo had suggested. She had to agree that it was much cozier in here than it would have been outside on the doorstep. She took a seat on one of the armchairs, letting a small sigh escape her as she leaned back and enjoyed the comfort of the soft cushions for a moment. As she heard the low rumble of voices rise from further down the hall, she began to eat the food the hobbit had given her. It tasted delicious and Arinna let out another small sigh of content. Not being able to make out any of what the company was discussing anyway, she began to think about Gandalf's invitation to this place.

* * *

Fili had been sitting next to his brother for the entirety of the meeting and he now leaned back slightly in his chair as the company around him began to discuss the arrival of the druid, as well as the involvement of Bilbo Baggins in their quest.

„Perhaps she wouldn't make such a bad addition, Thorin," Balin spoke. „Having another healer with us certainly wouldn't be a bad thing and as a druid she might even know a thing or two about magic doors."

„Does she possess magic, Gandalf?" Kili, Fili's brother, asked, unable to hide his excitement at the thought. The sound of his voice made Fili's mouth twitch with a small smile as his blue eyes flicked to Gandalf, who cleared his throat again. It seemed that this was his usual response when he didn't particularly want to answer a question.

„We came here to recruit a burglar, not some strange druid," Thorin spoke over the murmurs of his companions, pointing at the map that lay flat on the table. „The gates of Erebor are sealed. We must find the hidden door and go in unseen. That is a task for a burglar, not a healer."

Bilbo, who had been standing a bit awkwardly behind Thorin, now leaned over the edge of the table to take a look at the map. „Indeed," he muttered, more to himself than to any of them. „And you'd need a good one at that. An expert, I'd imagine."

„And are you?" Oin asked loudly, holding his hearing trumpet to his ear as the company looked at Bilbo expectantly.

„Am I what?" The hobbit returned with a frown, before his face fell slightly. „An expert?"

„Oi! He says he's an expert!" Exclaimed Oin merrily, knocking his hands on the table top with a throaty laugh, while some of the others joined in.

„No, no, no," Bilbo stuttered. „I'm not a -"

„Give him the contract," ordered Thorin, speaking calmly over the hobbit's voice. Bilbo's mouth snapped closed as Balin pulled a thick piece of parchment out of his pocket and handed it over to the hobbit. He took it with a frown, though he said nothing and instead began to read, while the companions returned to their discussion.

„I say let her come," said Bofur, a brown-haired dwarf with two ponytails on the sides of his head and a large woolly hat on top of it. „Surely, she would do us more good than harm."

„Aye," agreed some of the others, nodding along to Bofur's statement. With them was Kili, though he shrank back slightly when he felt his uncle's gaze on him. Thorin raised one eyebrow slightly, his gaze flicking from Kili to his other nephew, Fili, who said nothing and just returned his look with a neutral one of his own. Whatever he might feel on the subject, it was not his place to venture a decision, that responsibility lay with Thorin. Though he had to admit that he was inclined to agree with Bofur and the others. His first impression of the druid woman had been rather positive, though they still knew next to nothing about her.

He had watched her from the moment she had arrived in the dining room behind Bilbo. She was short, though taller than the hobbit, and had been wrapped in a dark cloak, matching her dark hair. Underneath it, Fili had seen the faint glint of a sword hilt on her belt as well as a bow strapped around her chest. He had wondered, after Gandalf had introduced her, why a druid would be carrying so many weapons, though he did not venture a guess. He supposed that anyone traveling the lands these days was better off armed. In contrast to her appearance, Arinna seemed to have good manners though - obvious in the way she had talked to Bilbo - and was soft-spoken. Fili could tell that she had chosen her words with care and her forest green eyes had been attentive and watchful as she had addressed them. Now, of course, his first impression of her could be completely off, he thought, but his gut-feeling never usually betrayed him in such matters.

„Laceration?"

Fili blinked as he was pulled out of his thoughts by Bilbo's alarmed voice, drifting over to them from where he was standing in the hall. He had zoned out slightly and was now unsure on whether a decision had already been made about the druid, though he had no time to ask, as the hobbit went on, reading out parts of the contract he'd been given.

„Evisceration?"

„Oh," Bofur chimed up merrily. „That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible."

„Incineration?" Bilbo read, enunciating every syllable of the word with alarm. Bofur nodded, smiling at the hobbit, obviously in an attempt to calm him.

„Oh aye, he'll melt the flesh right off your bones," he explained, while Bilbo's eyes grew wider and the company watched him attentively. „Think furnace with wings. One moment and poof, you're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Fili shook his head slightly. „That'll help," he murmured toward his brother, who only nodded in return. Both their gazes were trained on Bilbo, who now looked rather pale around the nose.

„Are you alright, laddie?" Balin asked kindly and Bilbo nodded quickly, swallowing heavily past the lump in his throat. He remained quiet for a moment while it looked as though he was gathering himself from the shock. And then he nodded again, glancing up at the ceiling with a determined look. The dwarves looked at each other, surprised and relieved at the same time, and it was then that a small noise escaped the hobbit and he keeled over where he stood, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

„Oh, very helpful, Bofur," huffed Gandalf as he stood up and walked over to the hobbit. Bofur just shrugged sheepishly, while the wizard gathered the hobbit in his arms and carried him down the hall. The dwarves were quick to exchange glances and follow him, standing from the table in a hurry.

They followed him into the living room, where the druid woman was sat comfortably on an armchair, her bow and sword now leaning against the side of it and her cloak hung neatly over its back, while she was thumbing through one of Bilbo's books. She looked up when Gandalf approached, followed by the dwarves, and sat up quickly once she noticed the unconscious hobbit in the wizard's arms.

„What happened to him?" She asked, as Gandalf laid Bilbo down on the small sofa, leaning over the hobbit to get a better look at him. Gandalf just huffed quietly.

„He's merely fainted," he explained and with a small glance toward the company of dwarves standing around them, he added, „Can you help him, my dear?"

Arinna looked at the wizard with a raised eyebrow for a short moment, knowing perfectly well that Gandalf was more than capable of waking up the hobbit, and probably much quicker than she was. But as he made no move to do anything, she simply nodded and walked over to her cloak, retrieving a small bundle of herbs from a little bag in her pocket. She felt the gazes of the company on her back as she leaned over Bilbo and held the herbs under his nose. It was only a few seconds later that Bilbo's eyes shot open and he coughed slightly, and Arinna pulled the herbs away from his face.

„There you go," she uttered, helping the hobbit to sit up. „Easy now."

„Thankfully you have so many carpets in this place, Mr. Baggins," a voice chimed up from behind them and Arinna looked over her shoulder to see the young dwarf that had spoken. He had a blond mane of hair and a mustache that was braided into two plaits that hung down the sides of his mouth. „Or you could have hit your head rather badly."

Bilbo just grumbled something indiscernible under his breath in return and Gandalf shooed the dwarves out of the room, ordering everyone to give the hobbit some space and room to breathe. Arinna followed that command willingly, shooting the wizard a pointed look as they crossed into the hall.

„A word, Gandalf?" She said and the wizard, pursing his lips slightly, merely nodded and followed her outside of the hobbit-hole. Arinna took a few steps into Bilbo's garden, halting as she reached the fence, where Lithen was grazing patiently. „May I ask… Why am I here?"

Gandalf took a moment to light his pipe before he answered her slowly. „Because I've invited you. To join them on their journey."

„You didn't tell them I was coming."

„No," Gandalf agreed. „It would have been more difficult to convince Thorin beforehand."

Arinna huffed slightly. „I doubt you've managed to convince him much as it is, Gandalf," she said, before she continued her questioning of the wizard. „What is the purpose of this journey? Why do you want me to join it?"

The grey wizard sighed quietly, puffing out some smoke. „Their journey is bound to secrecy. Their purpose is to reclaim their homeland," he explained, knowing that such a secret would be safe with Arinna. „The Lonely Mountain."

„Erebor," Arinna breathed, eyes widening at the implications. These dwarves must be insane, she thought. „But, Gandalf, Erebor was taken by a dragon."

„Indeed," was all Gandalf replied.

Arinna hesitated for a few moments, gathering her thoughts as the wizard's gaze rested heavily on her. In such moments, the druid was never quite sure whether Gandalf could almost read her thoughts, though she supposed he didn't need to. He knew her well enough.

„You, much like these dwarves, know the devastating power of dragon fire," Gandalf continued quietly, eyeing her kindly as she remained silent. „And you know the lands they will be travelling. The dwarves will need guidance along the way and I cannot guarantee to be able to go with them for the entirety of it."

Arinna said nothing, still. Her thoughts whirling in her head for a few long moments. Then she finally looked away from Gandalf and out over the fields of the Shire. „I must be insane," she muttered, though Gandalf heard her well and smiled contentedly. „Very well."

And with those words, she moved away and walked back up to Bilbo's hobbit-hole, while the grey wizard merely took another few puffs of his pipe, muttering quietly to himself.

* * *

Fili looked up when the front door opened and the druid walked back inside, Gandalf following a few moments later. While the two of them had been outside, Thorin had decided that he would follow the wizard's advice, though begrudgingly, and had Balin draw up a contract for her as of that moment. Meanwhile, the dwarves had all formed small groups in different rooms of the hobbit-hole, talking among themselves. Fili was sat with his brother, Kili, and the two brothers Ori and Nori at the dining table by the kitchen. Their third brother, Dori, was sat somewhere else with some of the older dwarves.

„Do you think the Halfling will join us?" Kili asked quietly. The others around him shrugged or shook their heads.

„It doesn't look much like it," Nori answered. „He fainted at the mere mention of Smaug, I doubt he'll be willing to face him, much less steal from him."

„Aye, he doesn't seem like great burglar material, does he?" Fili added quietly. „Doesn't seem to be the most courageous fellow."

„He might surprise you yet," a soft voice answered him from the door sill. They all turned their heads to find the druid woman standing there, an empty plate in one hand and a thick piece of parchment in the other. She merely gave them all a small smile and made her way past them into the kitchen, meaning to clean the plate that Bilbo had provided her with earlier.

Ori was quick to stand up and follow her into the kitchen, politely taking the plate from her hands. „Please, let me," he said, though she shook her head. „It's my pleasure, Miss Arinna. Please, sit."

Arinna didn't want to let the dwarf do her dishes for her, but he was quick to grab the plate as well as some soap. He was at work before she could utter a word. „I - well, thank you."

„Ori," the dwarf introduced himself with a shy smile. Arinna returned it kindly.

„Thank you, Ori, you're very kind," she said and hesitantly took a seat at the table were the others were sitting. They exchanged a quick look amongst themselves as she set the piece of parchment on the table, keeping her hand flat on it as her fingers twitched slightly.

„So… Arinna. You will be joining us then," said Kili with a smile and pointed at the contract when she looked up at him.

„Oh yes," she replied, following his gesture. „Yes, I suppose I am."

„You're very welcome," the dwarf smiled. „I've never met a druid before. I am Kili, and this is my brother, Fili. And this is Nori and his brother, Ori, whom you've met."

Arinna inclined her head at them politely.

„I do believe uncle's made the right choice inviting you," Kili continued merrily. „Don't mind his behavior earlier, he can be a bit grumpy but -"

„Kili!", his brother chastised quietly, but the brunet dwarf just went on with a smile, nudging the other with his elbow.

„He can't hear me, Fili," he said, causing Arinna to laugh quietly, which made Kili's smile widen in return. „And you know it's the truth. But, mind you, Thorin's a great leader. And I'm not just saying that because he's my uncle."

Arinna smiled at the young dwarf. „I believe you," she answered, before her eyes drifted toward his blond brother, who sat quietly returning her gaze. „And I do believe that Mr. Baggins will come through on his part."

Fili's mouth twitched upward with a small smile as he held her gaze for a moment before he nodded slightly. „Fair enough," he grinned, testing the waters with her. „We are leaving at first light tomorrow and so far, he seems to prefer staying here in his hobbit-hole to venturing out into the wild. But seeing as you seem so sure… Care for a little wager?"

The other dwarves looked at her as she tilted her head, taking a moment to consider Fili's bet, while her eyes studied him. He watched her attentively in turn, eyebrows raising slightly when finally, she just smiled. „I bet you 30 silver coins."


	2. The journey begins

**Thank you very much to the reviewers who left comments on the first chapter! You're very much the reason that this second one is up so fast and I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far!**

* * *

They set out early the next morning, without Bilbo. Since her wager with Fili, many of the others had joined in, and those that had bet against him were starting to get more smug with every mile they put between themselves and Bilbo's home.

Arinna was riding near the end of the company, only Fili and Kili behind her, who were talking among themselves. The druid was currently lost in thought, thinking back to the moment last night when she had handed her signed contract back to Balin. She wondered whether she had made the right decision, following them toward the East, or if she should rather have taken Lithen and turned around, riding straight back to the Hills of Evendim. Her pony snorted beneath her, almost as though he had heard her thoughts and agreed. Arinna shook her head to clear her mind, and only then did she realize that Fili was talking to her.

„How long before it's time to pay up?" He asked her with a cheeky smile, having pulled up to ride next to her. „It's almost midday and I don't see the Halfling anywhere."

„You know, I did trust your judgment," Kili chimed up from behind. „But I would really hate to lose to my brother. He's always so smug about it."

Arinna smiled and threw a glance back toward him over her shoulder. „Don't worry, Kili. There's still more than enough time for your brother to eat his words," she said and looked back over at Fili, who was shaking his head but with a smile still playing on his lips. His first impression of the druid had been that she was the reserved, quiet type, an assumption that was quickly turning out to be incorrect.

They rode for another half hour or so and that was when they heard it. A voice calling from behind them to wait. Thorin held up his hand at the front of the company, causing them to halt in their tracks. As the voice grew closer and the dwarves looked over their shoulders curiously, Arinna's gaze was trained on the blond dwarf on the pony next to her. When Bilbo appeared beneath the trees, running toward them with his contract fluttering in his hand, Fili returned her gaze and inclined his head slightly at her smug expression.

„I think now is the perfect time to pay up," the druid smiled and held out her hand. Fili handed her a small purse of coins with a slight grimace.

„I've signed it!" Bilbo called as he ran past them to the head of the group. He handed over the contract to Balin, who inspected it for a moment before he exclaimed that everything was in order.

„Welcome, Master Baggins," he said, smiling at the hobbit. „To the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

„Give him a pony!" Called Thorin, before he motioned for them all to move on. Bilbo stood shaking his head, as the company moved past him, muttering something about having walked all the way to Frogmorton once and that he was sure he could keep up well enough on foot. Arinna merely watched as Fili and Kili rode past her, sidling up to the hobbit on either side and lifting him up by his shoulders and onto one of the two unmanned ponies.

The druid had never seen anyone look quite so uncomfortable on a pony. As they rode, Bilbo kept adjusting his seat and seemed to flinch every time his pony made so much as a sound or shook its mane. After a while, he began to sneeze quite loudly.

„Everything alright, Mr. Baggins?" Arinna called to him from where she was riding behind him and Gandalf. The hobbit shot a small glance over his shoulder.

„Oh yes," he answered. „Actually, please, call me Bilbo. And really, it's just all this horse hair. I think I'm having a reaction."

Arinna nodded as he fumbled for something in his pockets for a moment, before he called out, his voice carrying some alarm. „Stop! Stop!" The hobbit cried, causing the whole company to halt, while they turned to look at him. „We must turn around. I forgot my handkerchief!"

It was Bofur who answered him, tearing a piece of his dirtied brown tunic off and tossing it to Bilbo. „Here, use this!"

While the hobbit looked at the piece of fabric in barely concealed disgust, Thorin called for them to march on and so they did, Gandalf sending the Halfling an amused look from the side. „You will have to do without a lot more than just your handkerchief on this journey, Bilbo. Home is behind you now, the world is ahead."

Though Bilbo seemed a little defeated at that, he merely nodded and put the piece of Bofur's tunic into his pocket. After all, you never knew when it might come in handy.

And so they rode on, crossing through the forest and across the fields. Bilbo's sneezing lessened after a few hours, and indeed, a few days later, he seemed to have gotten used to the horse hair entirely.

„We camp here for the night," called Thorin as they approached a cliff side that night. He dismounted his pony swiftly, calling out orders for the rest of the company. „Dori, Nori, get a fire going, so Bombur can start supper. Bofur and Bifur take care of the ponies. Fili, Kili, you will take the first watch. Dwalin and I will take the second."

Arinna was patting Lithen's neck when Bofur approached her, and she handed over his reins to him with a small smile.

„I know, lass," the dwarf spoke before she could utter a word. „No need to tie him with the others. You know, when you told me this on the first night, I did not believe that he would just stay idly with the rest of them. You've trained him very well."

„I did not train him particularly, Bofur," the druid replied, running her hand down Lithen's neck another time before she stepped aside. „He is simply a most loyal friend."

Bofur just shook his head in slight disbelief as he led the pony away to where the others were, though another voice chimed up when Arinna sat down near the fire that had been lit by now.

„I have heard that druids are good with animals," said Balin to her right, while another dwarf, Dwalin, sat down to her left. „Tell me, is it a magic bond you share with your steed?"

Kili's eyes shot up curiously at the mention of magic and he listened to their conversation from where he was sat opposite them.

Arinna laughed quietly and shook her head. „No, Master Balin. I have merely had him ever since he was a foal. He was a gift from my father and has been my companion for many years. There is nothing magical about it."

Balin just smiled and nodded his understanding. It wasn't long then until supper was served and soon after, the company slowly dispersed a little around the clearing and laid out their sleeping mats, while Fili and Kili kept the fire going for the watch. Only a few others were still awake as well, among them Gandalf, Balin, Arinna and Bilbo, who was currently sneaking off to feed an apple to his pony, Myrtle. Gandalf was smoking his pipe, as was Balin, and Arinna was keeping her hands busy by bundling some herbs she had gathered along the way.

It was then that a sharp shriek echoed over the fields of grass down below - piercing and inhuman. The companions looked up sharply, Arinna's hand reflexively flying to the hilt of her sword.

„What was that?" Bilbo asked, quickly walking backwards toward the company, while his gaze was trained on the lands below.

„Orcs," came the answer from Kili only a few seconds later and he exchanged a small look with his brother as Bilbo turned toward them hastily, repeating his words worriedly.

„Throat-cutters," agreed Fili, seeing that his little brother was trying to play a trick on the poor hobbit. „There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

„They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone is asleep," continued Kili. „Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood."

Arinna flinched slightly at the dwarf's words, though she didn't think anyone noticed, while Bilbo looked around fearfully. And then Kili laughed quietly, looking at his brother who grinned, as well. Arinna's eyes darkened at the sight and Bilbo's face fell, realizing that he had been mocked.

„You think that is funny?"

Now Kili and Fili both flinched at the unexpected voice of their uncle, who had woken up during their antics. His voice was dark and disapproving, causing them both to incline their heads in shame. „You think a night-raid by orcs is a joke?"

„We didn't mean anything by it," said Kili quietly but was swiftly interrupted.

„No, you didn't," Thorin growled, stomping away towards the edge of the cliff. „You know nothing of the world."

Balin then spoke up quietly, his eyes first trained on the two young dwarves before his gaze fell on Arinna, whose hand was still clenched around the hilt of her sword. „Don't mind him laddies, Thorin has more cause than most to hate the orcs… Lass, are you alright?"

Arinna was pulled out of her thoughts by the old dwarf's voice, her eyes flicking to him and noticing the concerned look on his bearded face. Then the druid looked down at her own hand, unwrapping it quickly from her sword. She kept her eyes on the ground for a moment before she looked back up, meeting first Balin's gaze and then those of the others around her.

„Yes, Balin," she said softly. „I was just… lost in thought. I believe everyone who has ever come across an orc would hate them. What is Thorin's cause?"

Though Balin suspected that the druid was merely asking the question to distract from herself, he sighed deeply and began his story anyway. „After the dragon had taken Erebor, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient city of Moria. But our enemy got there first…"

Arinna listened with horror and awe as Balin retold the battle for Moria, his words echoing within her heart as she saw the events take place before her inner eye. Azog the Defiler beheading Thorin's grandfather, his father going missing, and Thorin - the young dwarf prince that had seen so much peril already - standing alone against the Pale Orc, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield and cutting off Azog's left arm.

„And I thought to myself then, there is one I could follow," Balin ended on a solemn note. „There is one I could call king."

The camp was silent for a few long moments, except for Bombur's snoring. Arinna shook her head, gathering her thoughts as she looked at Balin.

„And the Pale Orc?" She asked quietly. „What became of him?"

„He slunk back into the hole whence he came," answered Thorin coldly as he walked back toward his place by the fire. „That filth died of his wounds long ago."

Arinna merely inclined her head as he walked past her, though she shortly caught Gandalf's eye from across the camp. The wizard's blue eyes were clouded with an unreadable expression that caused the hairs on the small of her neck to stand.

* * *

A few days later they were riding through another forest, capes drawn deep over their heads and faces and huddling over on their saddles as it was raining down hard upon them. Arinna didn't particularly mind the rain, even though it had been going on for hours now, and neither it seemed did Bilbo. In fact, the hobbit did not even have a proper cloak to protect himself from the rain. The dwarves, on the other hand, did not seem to be very keen on this kind of weather.

„Mister Gandalf!" Called Dori to where the wizard was riding at the front of the company with Thorin. „Can't you do something about this deluge?"

„It is raining, Master Dori," replied Gandalf matter-of-factly. „And it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to control the weather, you should find yourself another wizard!"

Arinna chuckled quietly at the grey wizard's retort, though she did not listen very attentively after that when Bilbo asked if there were other wizards apart from Gandalf, for she already knew the answer to that.

„Can you change the weather?" Asked someone from beside her then and the druid looked up to see the two dwarf brothers, Fili and Kili, riding either side of her. It was Kili who had asked her the question, his eyes shining with curiosity.

„No," she answered simply.

„But you have magic?" Kili pressed on, his eyebrows drawing together as he tried to read her face. Arinna just looked calmly at him, slightly cocking one eyebrow. She found Kili's curiosity quite amusing. „They say druids are magic folk. Blessed with long life and strange gifts."

„None to speak of," she finally said.

„That is a yes, then," said now Fili from the other side and the druid glanced over at him, his blue eyes studying her curiously. Arinna couldn't help but smile slightly at the brothers' inquisitiveness. Finally, she inclined her head in what almost looked like defeat.

„I have some magic, if you would call it that," she explained, her voice drifting softly through the noise of the rain. „Really it is nothing more than a certain affinity with nature-bound things, such as animals and sometimes the elements. It is not great magic like Gandalf possesses. My skills pale in comparison to those of a true wizard."

The two dwarves let that statement settle for a few moments and rode beside her in silence. Fili's face was set in a small frown, as he was thinking about her words, wondering what exactly it was that she could do and whether she would be willing to show them someday. She hadn't seemed very keen on telling them about it in the first place, so he didn't want to press the matter further. His little brother had no such qualms.

„So, what can you do? Could you conjure up a snow storm?" He asked.

Arinna shook her head, though she seemed quietly amused. „No, Kili."

„Could you send fire out of your staff?"

„I do not have a staff, Kili," chuckled the druid. Kili nodded quickly, then looked around, trying to come up with another question. Fili just shook his head at his brother's antics, though he was still listening with interest.

„Could you make a flock of birds attack Dwalin?"

Fili looked over at the druid woman when she hesitated for a moment, his eyebrows rising as he realized that the answer was yes. She could do that.

„Why would she want to do that?" He commented quickly, drawing Kili's attention away from the woman. The brunet dwarf just shrugged his shoulders, grinning slightly.

„It's a hypothetical scenario, of course," he replied. „Though he did step on me when he got up for his watch last night. Which, in fact, I have not yet had the time to yell at him for. If you will excuse me."

And with that, he gave his pony a nudge and rode off to the head of the company, calling out to Dwalin from afar. Fili chuckled and shook his head again.

„He's very lively, your brother," Arinna stated then and Fili looked over at her once more, noticing that there was nothing but approval in her voice. He nodded and she gave him a friendly smile.

„Aye," he said with a smile of his own, pulling his hood a little further over his face as the rain continued. „He's always been the whirlwind of our family. Thorin says he's like our mother that way. Apparently, she used to get into all sorts of trouble when she was our age, much like he does."

„And you take more after your father?"

Fili's smile faded slightly at her question and he could feel the familiar lump in his throat at the mention of his father. He cleared his throat, feeling her gaze rest on him questioningly.

„So they say," he finally answered and Arinna immediately noticed the change in his tone. Though he tried to keep his voice light, there was an unmissable feeling of grief weighing it down. She immediately regretted asking the question. „My father died when I was little. Kili had only just been born, and I was about five years old. There had been some trouble in one of the mines and he went down to check. The tunnel collapsed and he and his party never returned."

Arinna looked at the young dwarf with empathy, reaching across and squeezing his forearm with her hand. The gesture made him look up at her in surprise and he gave her a small but kind smile. „I am sorry," she said as she retrieved her hand and grabbed Lithen's reins again. „No pain compares to losing someone you love. I know it all too well, myself. I'm sorry I brought it up, Fili."

„It's fine, really," he answered. There was a sad look in her green eyes, making them appear darker in the pale light that fell through the grey clouds. Of course, Fili would have liked to know the meaning behind her statement, though he did not dare ask. Such things, he knew, could not be talked about with just anyone at any moment. So he just shook his head at her, mustering up another small smile to give her. „It has been a very long time since, and you didn't know."

Arinna was grateful that he did not ask her about her own loss and gave him a nod as they simply rode on in a companionable silence until the rain finally let up.


	3. Trolls in the night

**Chapter 3 is here! Thanks for the lovely reviews so far. I hope you enjoy this one and keep them coming.**

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Thorin called to make camp one of the following evenings by a large clearing in the forest, where the remains of an old, abandoned house stood.

„Fili, Kili! Look after the ponies, make sure you stay with them!" Arinna heard the dwarf-lord call out as she dismounted her steed, her eyes fixed on the remains of the house. She approached it slowly, stepping through the destroyed doorway and looking around. The roof had caved in and the wall had been destroyed on one side, though Arinna couldn't quite help the feeling that it had been smashed in by something. Perhaps a storm had knocked a large tree into it, she thought, though she could see no remains of a tree lying around anywhere.

„A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf spoke from behind her, catching her off guard and making her jump slightly. The wizard stepped inside the ruins with Thorin on his heels, a concerned look on his face. „I think it's unwise to stop here, Thorin. We should move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley -"

It sounded like a valid suggestion to Arinna, though she knew it would take them another few hours to reach Rivendell and the sun was already getting low in the sky. Thorin, however, merely scoffed at Gandalf's words. „I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

„Why not?" Retorted the wizard. „The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice."

„I do not need their advice," the dwarf now growled, causing Gandalf's eyebrows to draw together and Arinna's to rise.

„We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us. If you were to just -"

„Help?" Thorin interrupted harshly, glaring at the grey wizard who just sighed quietly to himself. „A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

Gandalf shook his head, while Arinna listened silently. Neither of them seemed to really notice her now in the heat of their argument. „You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past, Thorin."

„I did not know that they were yours to keep," the dwarf hissed, causing Gandalf to huff. The wizard muttered something under his breath, before he suddenly turned away and marched off, making his way through the camp and heading straight for his horse. Arinna watched him go with raised eyebrows, glancing over to Thorin, who just gave her a stern look.

Bilbo looked up as the wizard passed him. „Gandalf? Everything alright? Where are you going?"

The hobbit could only watch as Gandalf mounted his horse, pulling the reins with a dark expression on his face. „To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense!"

„And who's that?" Bilbo called after him, hearing the wizard's reply carried over to him by the wind as he rode off.

„Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day!"

„Bit rude," Bofur muttered beside him.

Bilbo's face fell as he watched the wizard retreat, before his gaze flicked to the dwarves around him, who looked equally unsure of the situation. Thorin and Arinna had now stepped out of the ruins, as well, joining the others in the camp. „Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked to no one in particular.

While Balin sent him an uncertain look, the druid woman stepped up next to him, patting him on the shoulder lightly. „Don't worry, Bilbo," she said, though her light tone didn't quite conceal the doubt in her emerald eyes. „He'll be back before you know it."

„Bombur, get supper going! We're hungry!" They heard Thorin growl over the camp, and the company, who had until now just been standing around a bit awkwardly after Gandalf's departure, quickly got to work setting up camp. None of them wanted to anger Thorin more than he already was.

About an hour later, the sky had now darkened above them, Bombur and Bofur were serving out supper. While Bilbo took two bowls to take to Fili and Kili, Arinna was sat comfortably eating next to Balin. She liked to sit with the old dwarf, for there was always good conversation with him but he also didn't mind sitting in a comfortable silence every now and again. At the moment, they were talking amicably.

„Are there many druids still residing in the realm of Evendim?" he was asking her as she finished her plate. „I remember a time when there were many colonies of them spread across Middle-Earth."

„Not very many now, I'm afraid," Arinna answered. „Our colonies have been diminished over the years. We don't normally live within safe city walls, and sometimes even city walls are not enough to protect the people within them. A consequence of facing the dangers of the open lands, I suppose."

Balin nodded solemnly. „I understand," he muttered. „It must be difficult. As I understand it, you have had some experience with the evil that roams these lands."

„What do you mean?"

The white-haired dwarf just smiled kindly at her. „Remember that night, when I told you the story of the Battle of Moria? It seemed that, when the two lads were spinning their tales of night-raids, you were somewhat affected. I was meaning to ask you about it, though I would not want to push you for an answer."

A mirthless smile played around the druids lips as she returned the old dwarf's gaze. „You are very observant, Balin."

Balin merely inclined his head and Arinna took a deep breath. She was about to answer him, when a loud noise from the bushes behind the camp caught their attention. The companions whirled around, as Fili and Kili ran through the trees, both of them breathing heavily.

„Trolls!" Cried Kili, waving his hands toward the trees behind him. „Mountain trolls!"

„They've got Bilbo!" Added Fili, causing the companions to stand abruptly, looking to Thorin for an order. The dwarf-king just grumbled to himself, drawing his sword and nodding toward the trees.

„Curse that Halfling," Arinna heard him growl as he stalked past her into the bushes, and she did not hesitate to pick up her own sword and go after him, though she was held back suddenly as someone grabbed her by the upper arm.

Arinna swivelled around in confusion as the others moved swiftly past her, and she finally found herself standing in the camp alone with Fili, who quickly withdrew his hand from her arm.

„Perhaps it's best you stay here," he said, his face stern as he looked from her to the edge of the trees. „There are three of these beasts. Such a fight is no place for a woman."

The druid's mouth dropped open slightly, while her eyes narrowed at the dwarven prince at the same time. „I do hope I've misheard that," she hissed, drawing her sword from its sheath at the same time. Fili just shook his head, though she cut across him before he could say anything else. „I'm an able enough fighter, Fili, and I won't just sit and wait while Bilbo gets devoured by some damned trolls. If you want to stay here and twirl your thumbs, be my guest."

And with that she turned away from him, not even giving him a second glance as she stormed off into the trees, though she could hear his footsteps following closely behind her. It took them only a few moments to catch up with the others, standing hidden in the bushes while Kili had already stepped into the clearing where the three massive trolls had set up their camp. Arinna could see through the trees that the trolls had stolen four of their ponies, though Lithen was not among them, and that one of them was holding Bilbo in the air by his feet.

„I said, drop him!" She heard Kili call out to the troll, who only grunted loudly in return before he tossed Bilbo at the dwarf. Kili barely had time to react as the hobbit came flying toward him, managing to catch him as they both tumbled to the ground. It was at that moment that Thorin charged ahead, leaving his cover to attack the trolls, and the others followed swiftly.

Arinna charged forward with a battle cry of her own, raising her sword to slash and stab at any part of the trolls she could reach, dodging and ducking away from their big, dirty hands as they tried to reach for their attackers. She had never seen dwarves fight before and she was surprised to find how swift and agile they were, using each other as counter-weights and to leap up toward the trolls' chests and faces, slashing swords and axes and hammers at them. Amongst the chaos, none of them noticed Bilbo sneaking toward the ponies and releasing them and it was only when one of the trolls snatched up the hobbit by his arms and another grabbed his feet, that they halted in their tracks.

„Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off!" Growled one of the trolls and the dwarves hesitated, standing around Thorin as the dwarf-king drew a deep breath, his face dark as he observed the scene. He hesitated another moment before he threw his sword to the ground with a deep growl. The others followed his example unwillingly and the trolls grinned at the sound of iron clattering on the ground. „Let's tie them up!"

A little while later, Arinna found herself tied up in a dirty, stinking sack, lying amongst a pile of dwarves at the edge of the trolls' camp, while the other half of their company had been tied to a large spit and was now slowly roasting over the fire. Of all the things she had imagined, she had not foreseen this fight turning out this way.

„Don't bother cooking them," grumbled one of the trolls. They had been arguing amongst themselves for a few minutes now about how best to cook them. „Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

„No," said another of the beasts. „They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage."

„That does sound quite nice, actually."

„Never mind the seasoning," rumbled the third troll. „We ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I'm hungry and I don't fancy being turned to stone."

It was then that the druid suddenly caught Bilbo's eye, who was tied up only a few feet from her, and they both seemed to have the same idea. Arinna looked up at the slowly brightening sky. If they could distract the trolls long enough, the sun would rise over the tree tops and turn the beasts into stone. She nodded hastily at Bilbo, who scrambled to his feet, difficult as that was being wrapped neck to toe in a sack.

„Wait!" He called loudly. „You are making a terrible mistake!"

The trolls halted slightly in their tracks and the spit over the fire stopped turning as they looked at the hobbit. Fili, Dori and Bofur, now at the bottom of the spit, were getting the entire blast of the heat from below, groaning as the flames leapt up at them. As Bilbo continued distracting the trolls, telling them that the dwarves stank so much that they would need something stronger than sage to season them, the druid quickly closed her eyes and began murmuring under her breath in a foreign tongue. Thorin, on whose legs she was lying, noticed her strange behaviour, watching in confusion, before his eyes widened in surprise. He looked up when a strong gust of wind suddenly rushed through the trees, rattling the pile of their weapons that lay on the other side of the camp. Another, even stronger one, followed after it, rushing through the camp and diminishing the flames of the ongoing fire.

„Oi!" Growled one of the trolls as the wind continued howling through the camp. „The fire's going out!"

Meanwhile the other two had had enough of Bilbo's ramblings, one of them calling out angrily. „What a load of rubbish! Sautée, seasoning, skinning them first! I've eaten plenty with their skins on! Scuff them, I say, boots and all. Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf. Nice and crunchy!"

And with that he reached out to the pile of dwarves before him and blindly grabbed one of them. Arinna screamed out as the troll's fist closed around her and he lifted her to his head, the wind around them suddenly dying down completely.

„Not her!" Bilbo cried out, desperately looking for more to say. He already saw the large troll lifting the small woman toward his open mouth. Arinna squealed and wiggled in his grasp, eyes widening at the large teeth that she was faced with. She felt her stomach churn at the foul breath that wafted over her. „She… She's infected! She's got… worms. In her tubes!"

Arinna screamed again as the troll suddenly hurled her away with disgust, and she fell through the air for a moment before her back hit a tree with blunt force, knocking all her breath out of her as she fell to the ground.

„In fact they all have," Bilbo continued quickly as the trolls looked at their intended food with disgust. „They're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

As the dwarves slowly caught on to Bilbo's plan, they quickly began calling out how big their parasites actually were, Oin claiming that his were as big as his arm. The trolls growled angrily at the small hobbit.

„You think I don't know what you're up to?" One of them cried. „This little ferret is taking us for fools! Get him!"

Bilbo ducked as a large troll hand came at him, when another voice suddenly boomed over the clearing. Bilbo's heart leapt as he recognised it as Gandalf's.

„The dawn will take you all!" The wizard roared and they all looked up to see him standing on a large boulder by the edge of the clearing, raising his staff and bringing it down on the stone hard, knocking it clean in half. The sunlight then streamed into the clearing, catching the trolls by surprise as they tried to turn away and shield themselves at the last second. But it was no use, their bodies swiftly stilled and they turned to stone where they stood.

„About time you came back," one of the dwarves muttered as Gandalf joined them, quickly releasing them from their sacks so that they could in turn release their friends from the spit over the fire, which they put out completely now. Meanwhile Gandalf swiftly walked over to the small woman lying at the edge of the camp, unconscious. The wizard bent down over her and put his right hand on her forehead, muttering something beneath his breath.

„Will she be alright, Gandalf?" He heard Bilbo ask worriedly behind him. The hobbit had followed on his heels, deeply concerned for his druid friend. He hadn't expected the troll to just hurl her around like a puppet when he had come up with the rubbish about the parasites.

The wizard nodded as he sat back on his heels, retrieving his hand from Arinna's face. A few seconds passed until the woman's eyes fluttered open and her hazy eyes found the grey wizard. She groaned quietly as he helped her out of the sack she was trapped in and to sit up.

„You took quite the tumble, my dear," he told her. „Sit quietly for another few moments to regain your strength. You did well, Arinna."

The druid just nodded, feeling her head spin slightly, and Gandalf stood to join Thorin. Bilbo stayed by her side, patting her shoulder as her breath slowly returned to her. „Well, that was something," he muttered and Arinna couldn't help a small chuckle.

„Indeed," she muttered. „Quick thinking about the parasites. Another second and I'd have been troll food."

The hobbit just smiled, obviously proud that she acknowledged his work in saving her, though he still felt guilty that she had been knocked out because of it.

„Would you be so kind and bring me my things, Bilbo?" Arinna asked quietly. „I'll need a few more moments but I wouldn't want to delay us departing this foul camp."

Bilbo nodded and stood quickly, leaving her to make his way over to the pile of the company's possessions. Arinna watched him for a moment, as he first retrieved his own things, which he had been stripped off, as well, before her gaze drifted over her companions. They were currently all strapping on their belts again and fastening their weapons to their person. Her eyes stopped wandering, when a pair of legs appeared in front of her and she looked up to see Fili staring down at her with a small frown creasing his forehead.

„I did tell you to stay behind," he uttered, feeling slightly frustrated with her when she just huffed in reply. He looked her over for a moment, glad to find that she did not seem to be injured badly. He noticed a long silver chain around her neck then, a charm dangling at its end. It was a single strand of silver, knotted in and around itself to form a small leaf.

Fili was snatched out of his thoughts when she reached out her hand toward him and he took it swiftly, pulling her to her feet. He watched as she swayed for a moment before she gathered herself. Then he changed the subject. „The wind. That was you, wasn't it?"

Arinna just returned his gaze evenly, giving him a short nod. „I tried to put out the fire, when I saw you were getting… well," she reached out to his hair, grabbing the slightly singed end of one of Fili's braids gently between her fingers. „Sautéed."

Fili's eyebrows had risen at her unexpected touch, though he doubted that she knew how meaningful the touch of someone's hair could be for dwarves. He decided not to think anymore of it and just smiled at her as she dropped her hand. „Aye, not a good way to go."

„Indeed," she chuckled and they exchanged another look before Bilbo showed up beside them, a pile of Arinna's things in his arms. The druid thanked the hobbit and proceeded to put her things back on, sheathing her sword and fastening her quiver around her chest. Thorin then called out for them to follow him and Gandalf, claiming that there was a troll cave nearby, which they wanted to inspect. The company followed them through the forest, further north toward the Ettenmoors.

It did not take too long for them to come upon the cave and indeed it was hard to miss for the awful stench that came from it. While many of the dwarves filed into the cave, looking for any hidden treasures, Arinna stayed outside, wafting air towards her face.

„You're not coming?" Kili asked as he walked past her and the druid just shook her head.

„I've smelled quite enough troll for one day, thank you, Kili."


	4. Gestures and chases

**First chapter of the week, I hope you like it! I really appreciate the lovely reviews so far, I didn't think this fic would get much reception at all, so thank you very much!**

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Bilbo stood outside the troll cave with the druid, a good distance away from the entrance, while the dwarves were inside. The hobbit and druid talked quietly among themselves, mainly about the earlier events at the troll camp, where Bilbo had also noticed the sudden gusts of wind that had seemingly come out of nowhere. Arinna was just explaining to him that this had indeed been her doing when she saw Gandalf coming toward them, while the rest of the dwarves now exited the cave as well.

„Here, Bilbo," the wizard said as he reached them, holding out a small sword to the hobbit. „This is about your size."

Arinna stepped away from them as Bilbo tried to decline the sword, giving Gandalf a moment to have a quiet talk with the hobbit, who had never used a weapon in his life. The druid could only imagine that it was a difficult step for him to take a sword that he would potentially have to use sooner rather than later.

„Here," she heard someone say close by. „I found something for you."

She turned to see Fili approach her, Bofur and Kili standing close behind with some strange looks on their faces. The druid looked curiously at the object the blond dwarf was holding out to her, finding it to be a small dagger, about the size of her hand, including the hilt. She took it from him with a look of confusion, turning it over in her hand and noticing that it was well made, probably by a smith of Men.

„Why are you giving me this?" Arinna asked, looking up at the dwarf-prince who only inclined his head in return. It had been Kili's idea to give the dagger to the lass and Fili recalled the conversation that had transpired only a little while ago in the troll cave, when he had been exploring it with his brother and Bofur.

He had told them that he had tried to get Arinna to stay behind when the trolls attacked, noticing how the other two shook their heads at him.

„You're barely in a position to tell her what and what not to do, Fili," Kili had told him and Bofur agreed. „She's a grown woman, and a fierce one at that."

„Indeed. Did you even see the girl fight, lad?" Bofur had added. „Never thought druids could be so ruthless with a sword. I think she can handle herself well enough."

„She got knocked unconscious," Fili had interjected, frowning at the two. Bofur had shrugged while Kili tilted his head at his brother.

„That had nothing to do with her skills as a fighter. Anyone of us would have gotten knocked out being smashed into a tree like that," he had said. „Except maybe Bofur with his exceptional blockhead."

The hatted dwarf only laughed at Kili's statement, before the younger brother continued. „Perhaps you should apologise to her," he said. „You know, make a small gesture."

Fili's expression was more than doubtful. „A gesture. Like what?"

Kili had looked around the troll hoard for a few moments, studying the piles of stuff that were lying around them. Then he took a few steps away and retrieved the knife that Arinna was now holding. „How about this? Daggers always say ‚I'm sorry'."

Now that the druid was turning the blade over in her hands though, Fili was feeling rather foolish. He could have just let the whole thing be, never talk about it again, and surely, it would have been just fine. But, of course, he'd had to listen to his little brother and Bofur, of all people, as though those two had ever been known to give good advice. But he was in the thick of it now, so he might as well go on.

„You can put it in your boot," he said, clearing his throat a little awkwardly as her emerald eyes darted up toward him again. „You know, for the next time you come a little too close for comfort to a troll. I was wrong to tell you to stay behind. You're a capable fighter, this is just to… to…"

Arinna smiled brightly as Fili trailed off, unsure what to say exactly. „Thank you, Fili," was all she said before she bowed her head at him and took a step back to bend and put the dagger in her boot, just as he had suggested. Fili let out a small breath of relief.

It was then that a loud noise came from the trees around them, and they looked up as they heard branches snap and leaves rustle wildly. Fili took a small step in front of the still kneeling druid, drawing one of his swords and observing the edge of the tree line.

„Something's coming!" Someone yelled and Arinna quickly got to her feet, drawing her bow and swiftly notching an arrow, pointing it at the trees. Gandalf had ushered Bilbo into the midst of the company again, which now formed a protective half circle, weapons drawn as they listened to the noise approach fast.

„Stay together!" Thorin called. „Stand your ground!"

And it was then that something suddenly shot out of the trees so fast that none of them could really react at all and once Arinna had found her target with her arrow, her grip loosened immediately. Gandalf, recognising the intruder, as well, stepped forward quickly before the dwarves would attack.

„Thieves! Fire! Murder!"

„Radagast!" Gandalf called over the other wizard's cries. „Radagast the Brown! What on earth are you doing here?"

Radagast, regaining his wits, quickly stepped off his ride, which was a sled pulled by a dozen very large rabbits, and approached the grey wizard. „I was looking for you Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong!"

„Here, here," Gandalf muttered, clasping one hand on his friend's shoulder. „Let us speak privately, come."

The company watched as Gandalf led the brown wizard further into the forest. The dwarves followed at a distance, Thorin deeming it unwise to simply stay in an open clearing. While the two wizards were discussing something further away, the company waited somewhat impatiently for their wizard's return.

„What do you suppose they're talking about?" Bilbo asked into the group, though no one was able to provide an answer. The ways of wizards were a mystery to all of them, even Arinna.

„I don't know," Bofur chimed up. „Wizard business. Terribly important. It -"

His words froze on his lips when a sudden howl echoed through the forest. Bilbo looked up fearfully. „Was that a wolf? Are there wolves in these parts?"

„No, that was no wolf," Bofur answered him in a low voice, looking around the tree line. Suddenly, a deep, dark growl sounded from one side and a large warg appeared, baring its razor-sharp teeth at them before it lunged into their midst. The dwarves dove out of the way and Thorin rushed forward, burying his new sword, which he had found in the troll hoard, into the beast's neck. It let out another howl, angry and pitiful before its breath left it. There was no time to rest though, as another of the beasts appeared on the other side of them, running toward them at full speed. An arrow pierced its neck before it reached any of them, and the warg fell and growled ferociously before Dwalin finished it off with his axe.

„Warg scouts," Thorin growled, looking at the two dead beasts in their midst. „Which means an Orc-pack is not far behind."

Arinna's head dropped, while Bilbo repeated the dwarf's words fearfully. „O… Orc-pack?"

Gandalf and Radagast had now hurried back to them, the grey wizard addressing Thorin harshly. „Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?"

„No one!"

„Who did you tell?!"

„No one, I swear!" Thorin bellowed. „What in Durin's name is going on?"

Gandalf's eyes narrowed, as more howls sounded through the trees. „You are being hunted."

„We have to get out of here," Dwalin said, though he was interrupted by Ori.

„We can't!" He cried. „We have no ponies, they bolted!"

Arinna's head shot up as she heard Ori's words, worry filling her heart as she realised that they had come up here without their ponies. They had been planning to go back to their original camp later on and continue their journey from there. She only hoped that Lithen had run off with the other ponies, she did not want him to encounter a stray warg.

„I'll draw them off!" Suggested Radagast, motioning back to the sled with which he travelled. Gandalf shook his head.

„These are Gundabad Wargs, they will outrun you."

„Gandalf," Radagast answered with a sly smile. „Those are Rhosgobel Rabbits, I'd like to see them try."

And with that he sped off and the company moved from their spot into the trees, hearing the howls of the wargs grow closer before another noise could be heard. The noise of Radagast speeding through the forest, drawing the attention of the orcs. They saw him race across the rocky plain that lay before the forest when they reached its edge, the orc-pack following on his tail.

„Come on! Quickly!" Gandalf called and they followed him as he led them out of the forest, running across the plain while Radagast led the orcs away. „Stay together!"

Arinna ran along with the others, her heart beating in her throat as she kept catching glimpses of Radagast, racing ahead of the orcs a bit further away. Her breathing was heavy as they made their way across the plain, hiding behind large rocks to remain unseen by the orcs as they chased after the wizard.

„Where are you leading us, Gandalf?" Thorin called after the wizard but received no answer. They stopped again behind the cover of a large boulder, and Arinna tried to catch her breath when she heard a low growl somewhere above them. She looked around, the others having noticed it as well, and remaining as still as they possibly could.

Thorin gave his younger nephew a pointed look and Kili nodded, slowly drawing an arrow and notching it silently, before he took a quick few steps forward and turned simultaneously, shooting at the warg. The beast came tumbling down, roaring and howling at the arrow imbedded in its neck. Dwalin and Thorin rushed forward, killing the warg and its rider quickly. But it had not been quick enough, they all knew. The noise of the fight had carried over the plain and now the orc-pack had abandoned the chase for Radagast and were coming straight for them.

„Move!" Gandalf shouted. „RUN!"

Arinna felt her feet move of their own, running after the others as fast as she could. They made it onto a grassier part of the plain, still following Gandalf and trusting him blindly to lead them to safety. The druid couldn't help throwing a glance over her shoulder as she ran, seeing the warg-riders approach in a wide circle around them.

„There they are!"

She couldn't tell who was yelling, trying to make her legs move faster still. But she could see that the wargs were now approaching from all sides. They were surrounded.

„Shoot them!" She heard Thorin's loud voice from somewhere, though she could not see him. She did see Kili though, a few yards away, beginning to shoot his arrows at the orcs. Arinna did the same, pulling her bow and quickly firing in the opposite direction that Kili was, trying to stop them circling in on them. She hit several orcs in the head and chest, watching them fall from their beasts, and approaching wargs in the neck. But it took more than an arrow to kill a warg and Arinna watched as one of the beasts, now without rider, rushed toward her.

She reached for another arrow, realising suddenly that she had run out, and she quickly drew her sword as the warg reached her. She dove out of the way and sliced at it when it lunged for her, the beast howling as her sword made contact with its flank.

„We're surrounded!" She heard Fili's voice over the warg's growls as it turned to face her again, teeth bared and drool running down its muzzle. Arinna braced herself for its next attack.

„This way you fools!" She then heard Gandalf's voice somewhere behind her, right as she dove for the ground again, the warg's teeth missing her by a few inches. She turned quickly and buried her sword in its neck, crying out with the effort of pushing it in as far as it would go.

„Run!"

The druid looked around, seeing Thorin standing by a rock not too far away from her and started to make for it. She saw Ori running and jumping down a hole when he reached Thorin, and she also saw Fili and Kili running toward their uncle from the other side. Kili was still shooting arrows at the orcs behind them, while Thorin called out for them again. She had almost reached the rock when she heard another loud snarl from the left and she was barely able to turn her head in time to see the warg coming at her at full speed.

Arinna did not have time to react as the beast slammed into her and she screamed as its teeth connected with her left arm as she raised it to shield her face, feeling them tear through her flesh. She felt the warg shake her around for a moment before it tossed her down and she fell to the ground with another pained outcry.

„Arinna!"

The druid looked around for her sword, her eyes darting over the grass around her in a wild panic as the warg came up behind her again, ready to go for her throat this time. She finally saw it, lying only a few feet away and she scrambled towards it, her injured arm sending bolts of pain through her whole upper body. She had almost reached the sword when she heard the warg howl behind her, and she turned quickly to see three swords buried in the beast's body, two of them belonging to Fili and one to Thorin.

„Come on!" Thorin yelled and pulled her to her feet by her uninjured arm, grabbing her sword off the ground with his other hand. He pulled her with him toward the rock, where Kili was shooting arrow after arrow at anything that came too close to the small group. Meanwhile Fili was trailing behind them, both his swords clasped firmly in his hands, ready to defend them from more approaching wargs.

Arinna cried out again as they reached the rock and Thorin practically tossed her down the hole, sliding down behind her as she met the ground with a thud. His nephews followed close behind him. The druid was in so much pain, the blood whooshing in her hears so loudly, that she barely heard the sound of a horn echo across the plain above them.

„Lass!"

„Arinna!"

„Arinna, are you alright?"

The voices around her began to make sense as she slowly came to. She felt someone pull her into an upright position on the ground, the sudden movement making her cry out in pain once more. Arinna opened her eyes to see the eyes of her companions rest worriedly on her. Oin was kneeling beside her, fussing over her arm, while in front of her she could see Fili looking at her with deep concern.

„Just a scratch," she tried so say jokingly, though her voice only came out as a whisper. She felt sick, trying to ignore the disgusting, heavy, painful throbbing in her arm. Fili's eyebrows drew together as he looked at her, though he said nothing.

„There is a path!" Someone then called from further down the rocky cave. It took the druid a few seconds to put the voice with Bofur's face in her head. „Do we follow it or no?"

„Follow it, of course!" Answered Dwalin, but Thorin's voice cut through the agreeing mumbles like a sharp knife.

„No," he hissed darkly. „Not before you tell me where you are leading us, Gandalf."

The wizard just looked at Thorin sternly, unfazed by the dwarf-king's glare, but before he could say anything, Oin spoke up from where he was bent over the druid woman by the wall. „The lass is losing a lot of blood, Thorin," he said directly to the dwarf-king.

The dark-haired dwarf growled, his eyes moving to the small woman on the ground. Her eyes had already fallen shut again, a fine sheen of sweat appearing on her brow. They had no supplies with them to help her. They had to keep moving, get her somewhere safe to address her wounds, or else she would most likely die here, Thorin knew. He did not want that, of course, he had not risked his own life to save her for her to die pitifully only a few minutes later. And as he was quite sure that Gandalf knew exactly where he was going, though he already knew he probably wouldn't like it, he simply gave a curt nod.

„Very well," he said. „We follow the path. Fili, take the druid. She won't make it far on her own."

His nephew just nodded and Thorin turned and walked ahead as they took the path deeper into the cave. Oin helped Fili gather the small woman in his arms.

„Careful of her arm, lad," he said quietly, worry dripping from his words. Fili tried to be as gentle as he could, but she still groaned harshly when he lifted her up. Oin sighed deeply. „Go on, I'll be right behind you."

And so the blond dwarf carried her down the path after the others, Oin walking close behind him. Kili, who had waited for them, was just ahead of his brother. None of them said much as they made their way along the narrow path, stone walls reaching up high to either side of them. Arinna's heavy breathing was echoing off the stone and Fili tried to ignore that, as well as the fact that her head had by now lulled against his shoulder and she had gone limp as her blood stained his own coat.


	5. Ghosts of the past

**Chapter 5! Hope you like! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and faved!**

* * *

It seemed to Fili like an age before they finally reached the end of the tunnel, stepping out into the bright afternoon sun that shone over an open area that lay above a large valley. The dwarves' eyes widened as they beheld the sight before them.

"The Valley of Imladris," announced Gandalf loudly, feeling rather relieved that they had finally made it here. "In the common tongue, however, it is known by another name."

"Rivendell," breathed Bilbo beside him, awe filling his voice and eyes as he looked down at the Elven city that lay in the valley's midst.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea," nodded Gandalf, making to move down the path that led down into the valley. He was stopped by Thorin's harsh voice behind him, making the wizard close his eyes shortly in frustration.

"This was your plan all along," the dwarf-king growled accusingly. "To seek refuge with our enemy."

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield," the wizard, now at the end of his patience, shot back. "The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

Thorin's eyes darkened in return. "You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."

"Of course, they will," answered Gandalf easily but with a slight huff. "But we have friends that need help and questions that need answers. Arinna must be taken to the healers."

Again, Thorin couldn't argue with that, shooting a short glance at the unconscious woman in his nephew's arms. Her face was now ghostly pale. He nodded quickly, motioning for Gandalf to lead the way and following after him begrudgingly.

"Now, if we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm," Gandalf was explaining to them as they made their way down toward the city. "Which is why you will leave the talking to me."

They reached the city after another while over a long stone bridge, coming to stand in a beautiful courtyard as a tall Elf with long brown hair approached them swiftly. The dwarves were quick to form a protective circle, Fili suddenly finding himself standing in the middle of it with Arinna still unconscious in his arms, while Bilbo was pushed next to him.

"Mithrandir," the Elf greeted the wizard kindly, with only a small, questioning glance at the dwarves, and Gandalf was relieved to recognise his familiar face.

"Ah, Lindir!" He uttered amiably, nodding at something the other said in Elvish. "I must speak with Lord Elrond. We are in dire need of a healer."

Lindir's eyes followed Gandalf's hand as the wizard pointed out the injured woman among the dwarves. The Elf's expression changed to concern as he nodded at Gandalf. "My Lord Elrond is not here. But we will take care of your friend immediately. There is no time to lose."

He nodded toward two other Elves who stood behind him and they moved quickly to retrieve Arinna from the group, though Fili took a quick, instinctive step back as the dwarves formed a wall before him. None of them were comfortable just handing over their companion to strangers, Elves nonetheless.

"Fili," Gandalf scolded harshly, making the young dwarf flinch slightly at his angry tone. "This is no time for prejudice, Arinna must see a healer immediately."

The dwarf nodded quickly, knowing that the wizard was right and that he had merely reacted the way he had out of reflex, much like the others had. He cleared his throat and moved forward, his eyes darting between the Elves as he slowly made his way through the company.

"I will take her," he said then, shooting a small glance over his shoulder toward his uncle who merely nodded at him. Then he looked back at the Elves, who were watching him silently. "Lead the way."

Lindir nodded at the other two Elves and Fili followed them quickly as they walked up a set of stairs and led him into the city. He heard the sound of another Elvish horn rise from behind him, though he did not look around. Getting the druid to a healer was more important right now than whatever was going on back there. He was sure Gandalf could handle it.

The Elves led him down several long corridors and Fili had to jog slightly to keep up with their pace. It didn't take long for them to reach the healing wing and Fili listened as one of the Elves called out to someone, watching as another Elf approached them quickly, a long blond mane of hair flowing down his shoulders. The two guards turned and disappeared back the way they had brought him, while the blond Elf now spoke urgently.

"Lie her down over here, Master Dwarf," the Elf said to him and Fili did as he was told, setting Arinna down reluctantly on a nearby bed. He only realised how heavy his arms felt once she was not in them anymore. He watched as her blood began to stain the white Elven sheets. Fili stood back as the blond Elf proceeded to cut her tunic off her, leaving her in her undershirt and revealing the deep wound on her upper arm. Fili felt his stomach lurch at the sight. The warg had caught her by the elbow, teeth marks reaching all the way up to below her shoulder.

"What happened to her?" The Elf asked him as he began cleaning the wound and Fili watched for a moment as his long fingers moved carefully over the torn skin.

"Warg-bite," he replied through clenched teeth, feeling as though his stomach was twisting around itself as he kept watching the scene before him. He finally turned his face away, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

The blond Elf looked up at him for a moment, nodding at the dwarf. "Have any other members of your company been injured?"

Fili shook his head. The Elf inclined his in return, continuing his work. All the while, Fili's jaw clenched at every little groan he heard falling from Arinna's lips, though he supposed it was better than just the sound of her ragged breathing that he had heard in his ear all the way down here. Perhaps the groans meant that she was more conscious.

"What is your name, Master Dwarf?"

Fili was ripped out of his thoughts by the soft voice of the Elf. "Fili," he answered, clearing his throat and gathering himself to introduce himself properly. He straightened his back and gave the Elf the tiniest of bows. "Fili, son of Nili. At your service."

The Elf inclined his head, bringing one hand to his chest for a moment. "I am Tuilinnor," he replied, a kind look on his face. "Now, please, Master Fili, sit down. You don't look as though you intend to leave this woman's side anytime soon and I can assure you, this is going to take a while."

Fili wasn't quite sure how long he had been sat in the healing chambers, his mind feeling heavy as he had kept a watchful eye over Tuilinnor and Arinna. He had no doubt in his mind that the Elf was a capable healer and was doing the best he could, but he simply couldn't help himself. Arinna was a member of their company and he had a duty to look out for her. He had tried to do so before they had fought the trolls, which had backfired, and he had tried to do it when they were running from the wargs, as well. But he had lost sight of her in the chaos and had only seen her again when the warg was already upon her. And by then it had been too late to completely prevent the damage. He knew that they had done what they could, his uncle, Kili and himself, but he still wished that they had been there just a few moments sooner.

The dwarf was turning Arinna's leaf necklace over in his hands mindlessly, the Elf having taken it off her when he had begun to bandage her arm a little while earlier. His thumb traced over the strand of silver that formed the leaf.

"Your friend will be alright now, Master Fili," he suddenly heard the Elf healer say and Fili looked up sharply, ripped from his train of thought. He saw Tuilinnor finish wrapping a stark white bandage around the druid's arm and shoulder and nodded gratefully, relief washing over him and making him feel a little lighter than before. "What she now needs is a lot of rest and once she wakes, she will need to eat a good meal and drink a lot of water. She has lost a lot of blood, but she will recover."

Fili couldn't help but smile at the Elf. "Thank you!"

It was a few minutes later, as Tuilinnor was putting away his supplies and tools, that the door to the healing chambers flew open with a loud thud and both the Elf and Fili flinched at the sudden noise. In came marching three dwarves and a hobbit, looking around the chambers anxiously. Fili made a small noise in the back of his throat, catching their attention and he watched as Kili, Bofur, Dwalin and Bilbo moved towards him. Their eyes fell on the small woman that lay covered in blankets on the bed next to where Fili sat.

"Oh dear," exclaimed Bilbo, moving forward and grabbing Arinna's right hand from the mattress. He squeezed it gently, shaking his head. "The poor girl. Will she be alright? She'll be alright, won't she?"

"Yes, she'll be fine," answered Fili quietly, looking up to meet the Elven healer's eye across the room. "The Elves took good care of her."

Tuilinnor just smiled kindly before he bowed his head and ducked silently out of the room, leaving the dwarves to talk among themselves. Dwalin shook his head, while Bilbo kept gently patting Arinna's hand.

"She's lucky," the burly dwarf said as he beheld her pale face and the dark circles that had formed under her eyes. "That thing could have killed her."

They all remained silent for a moment, contemplating Dwalin's words. None of them wanted to imagine a scenario where it might have come to that. The druid had already begun to grow on them and they considered her part of the company as any of the rest of them.

"The Elves have summoned us to dinner, we'd better not delay in joining them," Dwalin continued then, clearing his throat slightly. His gruff tone was the same as usual. "Thorin just wanted to be sure that she was alright."

"I'm staying here," Fili spoke, shaking his head indifferently at Dwalin when he opened his mouth to speak. "I do not care if that might be rude, Dwalin, someone has to stay with her. She shouldn't wake up and find herself in a strange place without a friendly face nearby. And the Elves won't miss one dwarf at their table, be assured."

The others just nodded and Dwalin inclined his head, accepting the young prince's choice. He had known Fili ever since he had been a little dwarfling, and he knew when there was no use in arguing with the lad. He cleared his throat then and motioned for the rest to follow him. Kili stopped shortly behind the others at the door, shooting a worried look back at his older brother.

"Go on, Kili," Fili said with a small, reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

"There wasn't anything else you could have done, Fee. You know that, right?" the younger dwarf sighed quietly, knowing his brother's mind. Fili said nothing in return and Kili gave a short nod. "I'll come back later and bring you something to eat, nadad."

* * *

It was dark around her when Arinna finally stirred and her eyes opened slowly, taking in the high ceiling above her. She felt the soft blankets that covered her, frowning slightly. She wasn't sure how she got to be here, the last thing she remembered was Fili carrying her down a long stone tunnel. She must have lost consciousness at some point, she thought.

She sat up slowly, using her right arm to get up, noticing at the same time that her left arm had been wrapped in fresh, white bandages and fixed to her side. Arinna sighed quietly to herself, glancing down at her injured arm. It still throbbed but the pain was now dull, nothing even close to how it had felt before.

As she let her gaze wandere around the room, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim moonlight that fell through the high windows, she saw a familiar blond dwarf slumped in a chair beside her bed. Fili's head had sunk down onto his chest, his arms crossed in front of him, and he was snoring quietly. The druid watched him sleep for a moment, seeing his chest rise and fall steadily with his deep breaths. He looked exhausted and she didn't particularly want to wake him, so she shuffled to the edge of the bed instead, reaching out for the pitcher of water that stood on a table next to it. She grabbed it firmly with her right hand, tilting it toward the cup that stood beside it, close to the edge of the table. Water flowed almost noiselessly into the cup, before her arm suddenly quivered slightly with the weight of the pitcher. She accidentally knocked it against the cup, which in turn slid off the table and landed on the floor with a loud clank.

Fili practically jumped out of his chair at the sudden noise, his hand flying instinctively to the hilt of his sword. "Who goes there!?" His loud voice demanded, sounding rough and tinged with sleep, as he stared into the darkness of the room.

"It's only me, Fili," he heard a familiar voice next to him and as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, his hand fell from his sword immediately. Arinna smiled sheepishly at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just needed some water."

"Thank Mahal you're awake," answered Fili, smiling at her in relief. "You had us worried there for a while. How are you feeling?"

She was still very pale, probably even more so because of the white moonlight filling the room, but it certainly made his heart lighter to see her sitting up and talking, smiling even. The others would be happy to hear that she had woken up, as well. Fili bent down to pick up the fallen cup from the floor, filling it up with fresh water again, before he handed it to her carefully. He watched as she took a few large sips and then set down the empty cup in her lap.

"I'm feeling alright… I think. What happened?" She then asked him, the fingers of her right hand tracing over the rim of the cup as she looked at him questioningly. "Where are we?"

"Rivendell," Fili said, watching as Arinna's eyes widened with wonder. "We're in the house of Lord Elrond. He's a friend of Gandalf's and has invited us to stay for a few days. The map that Thorin carries with him; we are going to need the Elf's help to read it, he says. It contains moon runes, which can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

Arinna frowned at the dwarf's words, tilting her head slightly. Moon runes were a special way of concealment indeed, she thought. "And that will be soon?"

Fili nodded. "In three days, to be exact. We are going to stay here until then, which is good, as it gives you some time to recover."

The druid sighed quietly at his words, her right hand coming up to lightly touch the bandage that covered her shoulder. Fili watched her movements, seeing in her face that she felt frustrated, probably with herself. Her fingers slowly traced from her shoulder to her collarbones, where they came to an abrupt halt and Fili saw her eyes widen as she looked down, her hand running along the line where her necklace should have been. She looked up at him and his eyebrows drew together at the fearful look on her face.

"Here," he muttered, before she could say anything, keeping his eyes on her as he put his hand in the pocket of his coat and retrieved the silver chain. Fili saw Arinna's features relax with relief as he held the necklace out to her. "It was taken off you to bandage your wound."

"Thank you for keeping it safe, Fili," Arinna breathed, her fingers closing around the chain and holding it close to her chest. Her eyes were trained on her lap for a moment before she looked up at him with sad eyes. "I'm… it's very precious to me."

The blond dwarf nodded his understanding slowly, standing up and reaching out his hands. Arinna handed him the necklace hesitantly and held still, her breath faltering slightly, as he leaned closer and fastened it around her neck with deft fingers, knowing she couldn't have done it with only one arm. She smiled softly at him when he leaned back.

"Thank you," she murmured, hesitating for a moment as she looked at him, before she decided to continue talking. "It was my father's. He died when I was young, this necklace is the only thing I have left of him. Apart from Lithen."

Fili listened silently, watching as her eyes filled with sorrow at the thought of her pony, which was out there somewhere in the wild on its own now. Fili hoped that nothing had happened to it. The dwarf let out a deep breath.

"How did he die?" He asked quietly, his blue eyes focused on the small woman before him. It filled him with a foreign sort of grief that she should have suffered the loss of her father, as well.

"Orcs," the druid answered, returning his gaze. Fili's face fell as she continued, remembering the night on the cliff side a few weeks back. "They came at night. We're a peaceful people. No one was prepared for an attack and we couldn't defend ourselves. I remember my father grabbing me out of bed, telling me to run and hide and not come out until he came to get me. And I did; I ran away from our camp into the forest and I could… I could hear the screams for a long time, until eventually there was only silence. I stayed where I was for hours, I was so afraid… I kept waiting, but he never came. It was one of the surviving women of our colony who eventually found me the next day and took care of me."

A long silence stretched out between Fili and Arinna after her explanation, neither of them knowing what to say to each other. The young dwarf looked at her for a long time, his face set with sorrow at her horrific tale.

"That's why you fight then," he eventually muttered, understanding now why she carried and wielded her weapons despite being a druid. Arinna just nodded wordlessly, her fingers tracing over the silver leaf, and Fili inclined his head, feeling incredibly foolish. "What about your mother?"

"She died at my birth," answered the druid quietly. "I don't have any other family."

"I'm so sorry, Arinna."

The black-haired woman just shook her head, giving the dwarf a sad but kind smile. Fili reached out his hand then, grabbing hers that was still playing with the charm of her necklace. She let out a shaky breath as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, much as she had done to him when he had told her about the death of his own father.


	6. Baths and blades

**And the last chapter to finish off this week!**

* * *

"You were right, Bilbo, it is a rather beautiful place," Arinna said with a bright smile as she walked beside the hobbit.

She had regained enough strength to stand and walk again the past two days, carrying her arm bandaged at her side. She had rejoined the dwarves the day before, smiling at their well wishes and happy cheers when they saw her up and about. Now she was taking a leisurely stroll around Rivendell with Bilbo, who had explored the city during their time here by himself. She had been saddened to hear that none of the dwarves had wanted to join him, though she supposed that they were not all too happy to be staying here at all, given their general disliking of the Elves. Arinna thought they would all be glad to leave tomorrow, as tonight was going to be the night that Lord Elrond would be able to decipher the moon runes on Thorin's map.

She followed slowly as the hobbit led her along beautiful pathways, listening with interest while he explained what he had learned about the place so far. "Oh, and I found this most beautiful fountain," he said excitedly, leading her around a few corners toward his goal. "I've never seen anything like it. You just don't get such fancy craftsmanship in the Shire. The waterspouts are huge and carved like different sea creatures. You must see it."

Arinna smiled at Bilbo's enthusiastic description, looking forward to seeing the fountain as the hobbit led her around the last corner and excitedly pointed forward. However, they both stopped dead at the sight before them. Arinna's eyes were wide with shock, and though she had to admit that the fountain was indeed very beautiful, the group of dwarves bathing naked in it was a rather unwelcome surprise.

A small yelp escaped her as her eyes caught a glimpse of Nori jumping arse first off the highest point of the fountain into the water below and she unwillingly saw a bit more of him than she cared to. The druid's right hand flew to her face, shielding her eyes.

"I think we should go see something else, Bilbo," she stuttered and heard the hobbit make a choked noise beside her. But before they could turn, she heard the yells of her companions from the fountain.

"Oi! You two!" She heard Bofur's voice call to them. "Either of you care for a water fight? I could use someone capable on my team! Kili's rather useless."

"I am not!" The young dwarf exclaimed.

"You are, too, brother!" Came another familiar voice from somewhere in the water. Fili was leaning with his back against the fountain wall, his elbows resting on top of it as his hands trailed lazily through the water. He was looking over at the the hobbit and druid with an amused smile playing around his mouth. Bilbo's head had gone a dark shade of red, while Arinna was still standing awkwardly and stiffly beside him with her hand covering her eyes.

"What… No. No! That is… You are being very inappropriate!" Bilbo cried out desperately but the dwarves just laughed, keeping on jumping and splashing in the fountain. Bilbo barely restrained from stomping his feet on the ground in exasperation. Instead, he grabbed Arinna by her uninjured elbow, almost pulling her hand away from her eyes and causing her to let out a small squeak, before he pulled her away with a loud huff.

"Come back if you fancy a bath!" Kili called after them with a loud laugh. "The water's lovely!"

* * *

Later that day, the company was sat around a fire they had built themselves, enjoying the last few minutes of sunlight on a large open balcony. Thorin, Bilbo, Balin and Gandalf had already left for their meeting with Lord Elrond, which was going to take place later. It was a peaceful evening, filled with soft and cheerful music that Bofur was playing on his flute, sat in a corner with his brother Bombur and cousin Bifur.

Arinna was sat with Fili, Kili and Ori, playing a card game that they had taught her several days ago, before they had reached Rivendell. She was only really playing against the two brothers, while Ori was helping her. He was holding her deck for her, as she could not hold them and pick them out with only one hand, advising her on what to play. It was currently her turn and she had thought about it for a moment before she pointed at one of her cards, looking up at Ori for his opinion.

"I wouldn't play that one," he said quietly, nodding toward the younger of the two brothers. "Kili's been sitting on the goose for ages, he'll take that."

Arinna looked up at the brunet dwarf who only raised his eyebrows at her challengingly, a cheeky smile on his face. She bit her lip, returning her gaze to her cards, before she reached out and pointed to another one. Ori nodded approvingly.

"Just got to hope Fili doesn't have anything to counter," the dwarf pointed out thoughtfully and Arinna shot a look to the blond dwarf who was keeping his face entirely neutral. She slightly narrowed her eyes at him before she smiled mischievously.

"Oh, he's got nothing," she stated, causing Fili's brows to rise slightly at her confident remark, though he still said nothing and did not let his face betray anything. Arinna pulled her card out of the deck then, putting it down on the small pile between them.

"That was a cheap move, Arinna," grumbled Kili as his turn was skipped and Arinna grinned at him. Then Fili played his turn, and the round finished with Arinna and Ori as the winners.

"Well played," Fili smiled as he collected the cards and shuffled them quickly. He was about to give them out again for a new round, when someone cleared their throat politely beside them. They all looked up to find a tall blond Elf standing there, nodding his head in greeting, before his gaze found the druid.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Tuilinnor said softly. "I'm afraid it is time to change your bandage."

Arinna nodded and stood up slowly, ready to follow the healer, when he continued speaking. "I was wondering if you would like to take a bath before I redress your arm?"

The druid heard Kili snigger behind her. "Oh, yes, I know just the place."

She shot him a warning look over her shoulder, seeing the other two laugh quietly to themselves, as well. She turned back to the Elf, straightening her shoulders as his eyebrows rose at the dwarves' obvious amusement. "Never mind these three halfwits," she stated, hearing Kili protest halfheartedly at the term behind her. "I would love a bath. Please, Tuilinnor, lead the way."

The dwarves watched the druid retreat with the Elf, exchanging amused looks. They continued their game without her, playing until the sun had gone down and the company began roasting sausages over the still ongoing fire. The Elven food didn't really agree with any of them, too many greens and too little meat, so they had resorted to making their own supper. They were talking and joking merrily among themselves when the missing members of their company suddenly appeared in the doorframe.

"Thorin!" Called Dwalin when he saw their leader enter their midst, followed by Balin and Bilbo. The dwarf-lord nodded at his friend. "How did the meeting with the Elf go? Do we know more about the map?"

"Aye," Thorin announced, drawing everyone's attention to himself as he explained to them what Lord Elrond had said when he deciphered the moon runes. "There was a message hidden within the map. ‚Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole.'"

"Durin's Day?" Dwalin repeated thoughtfully. Thorin gave him a short nod. "Durin's Day will soon be upon us. Summer is passing."

Again, Thorin nodded. "Yes, but we still have time," he said. "We are leaving immediately. The Elves have summoned Gandalf to a council, whose purpose, I have no doubt, is to stop us from continuing on our quest."

"Won't they try and stop us leaving in that case?" Asked Fili, but Thorin merely sent his older nephew a pointed look.

"They don't have orders to do so yet," Thorin said, looking around his companions, noting that they were one short. "They will discuss and decide on it during their council, so no one will challenge us if we move quickly. Gather your things, take as many provisions as you can. Where is the druid?"

Ori piped up from where he had already begun packing his bag. "Probably in the bath chambers or the healing chambers. She was meant to have her dressings changed."

Thorin nodded, his gaze finding Bilbo standing a few feet away from him. "Master Baggins," he spoke. "I gather you've familiarised yourself with this place. Find her quickly and bring her here."

The hobbit just nodded quickly and turned on his heels, leaving the company to gather their belongings. Thorin watched him go, a small frown creasing his forehead. He wasn't sure it was such a wise decision to take the hobbit further on their journey at all, but he did not want to go against Gandalf's word. The druid had proven herself a capable fighter at least and her healing skills might one day come in handy; he could say no such thing about the Halfling. Indeed, he seemed to be more trouble than use so far.

The dwarves were ready to leave only a little while later and had even taken the time to pack up Bilbo's and Arinna's things respectively. It was just around that time when Bilbo returned, the druid following on his heels with a slightly confused expression.

"Master Baggins has informed you of our plans?" Thorin asked when she arrived in their midst and the druid gave him a short nod, quickly putting on her overcoat and cloak. The tips of her black hair were still slightly wet and the bandage around her arm had not yet been renewed. Thorin made a mental note to remind Oin about it later, when they were out of Rivendell. For now he just waited somewhat impatiently until the hobbit and druid were both ready and then led on as they left first the balcony and then the city streets behind them.

"Shouldn't we wait for Gandalf?" Arinna asked eventually, following along with the group as they made their way out of Rivendell in the dark.

"He'll join us in the mountains," answered Balin, who was walking beside her. "He told us to wait for him there."

* * *

The company made their way out of the valley within the next day, hiking up the path away from Rivendell. They only stopped for short breaks along the way, as Thorin was determined to put as much space between himself and the Elves as he could, and as fast as he could.

"Be on your guard," he called out when they finally reached the valley's edge. "We're about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."

The white-haired dwarf nodded quickly, moving from where he had been walking with the druid to the front of the company. Arinna saw Thorin's gaze drift past her, his eyes narrowing slightly at the person trailing along at the end of the line.

"Master Baggins," he called gruffly. "I suggest you keep up."

Arinna shot a glance over her shoulder, seeing that the hobbit had only stopped for a moment to look back toward Rivendell one last time before it would disappear from their sight. She shook her head slightly at Thorin's way of speaking with the hobbit and waited until Bilbo had caught up, deciding to walk with him. The hobbit sent her a small smile as he fell in step beside her.

"Don't mind him, Bilbo," she said quietly as they walked along at the end of the company. "I know from a reliable source that he's always been a rather grumpy fellow."

Bilbo couldn't help a small laugh, though he caught himself quickly, shooting a worried glance ahead. He looked over at Arinna, who was grinning lightly at him. No one seemed to be listening to them.

"I do believe he'd rather I'd have stayed in Rivendell," Bilbo admitted with a sigh. "And indeed, I'm not sure whether I should not have better stayed there. Most of them don't think I should be on this journey with them."

Arinna shook her head, giving the hobbit a pointed look. "Most of them underestimate you, Bilbo."

The hobbit's eyebrows rose doubtfully as he looked over at her. "That's very kind of you to say," he answered. "But I'm not sure that's the case. I think they might have chosen the wrong hobbit as their burglar. Thorin certainly thinks so."

The druid smiled softly at him, stepping carefully over an extruding root on the ground. "You can always decide to turn back, Bilbo, if that is what you feel is the right thing to do. But let your decision be guided by your heart, not by the ignorant words of a dwarf that has barely taken the time to know you. You know your worth and you will find your courage."

Bilbo let Arinna's words sink in, settling to walking with her in silence after that, though she did not seem to mind. She seemed to know that he needed to think, but also that he appreciated having her company while he did.

When they made camp that night, Thorin finally allowing them to properly rest, Arinna gave the hobbit's shoulder a friendly squeeze before she followed Oin, who was telling her that he needed to bandage her arm again, or else dirt would soon get into the still healing wound and cause infection. When the two of them came back, Bombur had already started on supper and the companions had set out their bedrolls.

Arinna made herself comfortable next to Kili, who smiled at her over the tip of his smoking pipe as she sat down. "How is your arm?"

"Getting better," the druid answered, rotating her shoulder slightly and making a small grimace. Kili raised his eyebrows at her. "It is, Kili. Oin says so, himself. Though without the healing skills of the Elves, I would be doing far worse still."

Kili nodded slowly as he continued to smoke. Meanwhile, Arinna pulled out the small dagger that she kept in her boot, the one that Fili had given her, and turned it over in her hand. She brought her other hand toward it, touching the tip of the blade lightly with the tip of her index finger. Kili watched her silently play with the dagger for a few moments before cleared his throat and spoke up.

"You're going to cut yourself."

"I doubt it," Arinna said, looking up at him with a small smile. "It's not that sharp."

Kili hummed quietly, looking at the knife in her hands. "Well, I suppose those trolls had other things on their minds than sharpening a tiny dagger," he said slowly. "You should ask Fili to sharpen it for you."

The druid shook her head but Kili insisted, nodding vigorously. "Yes, you should. I would offer to do it but Fili's really the expert with knives. He'll know how best to treat it. Really, you'll thank me - FILI!"

Arinna jumped at the volume of Kili's voice as he called for his brother, who was not sitting far enough away to warrant it. Fili turned his head, eyebrows raised in question. Kili grabbed the dagger from Arinna's hands - almost actually cutting her in the process - and waved Fili over with it.

"What is it?" The blond dwarf asked when he reached them. His brother just handed him the dagger wordlessly. Fili frowned questioningly, though his expression changed as he carefully ran his thumb along the blade. "Well, this is rather blunt."

"Ah, see, what did I tell you, Arinna. An expert," Kili grinned and the druid just rolled her eyes at his antics. "We're in need of your skill, brother. Arinna can hardly fight with a blunt blade."

Fili looked up, his gaze drifting from his little brother to the druid, who returned his gaze quietly. "Indeed, she can't," he muttered, nodding. "I'll take care of it, no problem. You do know how to use it though, don't you?"

Arinna's eyebrows drew together disapprovingly at his question. "Of course I know how to use it," she huffed. "In case you've missed it, I do wield a sword."

Fili's gaze remained calm as he smiled at her. "It's hardly the same thing," he answered. "You can use a dagger in ways that a sword would be much too big and heavy for."

"I'm inclined to agree with Fili," interjected Kili, puffing some smoke out of his mouth while the druid shot them both an annoyed look. "You should see him throw the things, bull's eye every bloody time."

Fili's smile turned into a grin as he took his brother's compliment. Arinna studied the blond dwarf silently for a moment. She had no doubt that he was a skilled fighter, she had already seen him use two swords at once, after all. And while Arinna was confident enough with her sword and bow, having trained their use for many years now, she could not say that she was as skilled with daggers. Indeed, she'd never actually tried fighting with them, never mind throwing one.

"Do you want me to teach you?"

The druid's eyes flicked back to Fili's at his words, as he ripped her out of her thoughts. His smug tone made her slightly unwilling to accept his offer, but she couldn't deny her interest. His pale blue eyes twinkled in the firelight when she finally gave him a curt nod, jumping over her shadow. Fili returned her nod, standing up and throwing her dagger up into the air, making it twirl, before he caught it again by the hilt. Then he winked and moved back to his previous spot.

"Smug bastard," grumbled Arinna quietly as she watched him retreat, causing Kili to erupt in a fit of laughter beside her.


	7. Stone giants

**Chapter 7! Hope you like it!**

* * *

"Relax your wrist."

"Watch your stance."

"Mind the wind."

Arinna dropped her head with a low growl. For the past five days, she had left the camp with Fili every evening before supper to train with him. And so far, she was not getting any better and he was starting to get on her last nerve.

"You know, you're a very annoying teacher," she huffed over her shoulder, while trying to adjust her position according to his comments. She heard Fili laugh from where he was leaning against a nearby tree, watching.

"I'm only trying to help."

"I know, but…" the druid grumbled, not quite knowing what to say. After all, it wasn't Fili's fault that she was no good. She trailed off, instead of finishing her sentence trying her luck once more. She threw the dagger that he had sharpened for her and it landed in the bark of the tree before her with a small thud. Fili had stuck a piece of fabric to the tree with another knife, her own was stuck several inches above it.

"Agh," Arinna huffed, kicking slightly at the ground. "It's no use, Fili."

She turned to look at him, feeling rather disappointed with herself, and Fili pushed himself off the tree as he returned her gaze. "You're making progress," he told her as he passed her, going to retrieve her dagger. "Five days ago you kept missing the tree by three feet at least."

He came and pressed the dagger back into her right hand, giving her a small smile. "How long did it take you to master the use of your sword? A few years at least, I'd wager. You're just expecting too much too soon, is all."

Arinna sighed.

"Don't be so defeatist," Fili teased her. "It doesn't suit you."

That caused the druid's lips to twitch into a small smile and she looked up at the dwarf, her smile broadening at the encouraging look in his eyes. Fili took a few steps away from her then, motioning for her to try again. Arinna drew a small breath and straightened up again, encouraged by Fili's words, and tried to take all his advice into consideration as she positioned herself. He watched her for a few seconds, then she heard him sigh, and a moment later he was standing behind her, his arm reaching around her to guide her own.

Arinna's grip on the dagger faltered slightly as she felt his chest press into her back, his chin brushing against the side of her head as he reached up and enclosed her hand with his, his fingers moving hers into a slightly different position on the hilt and making her grip it harder again. Fili had instructed her before, of course, but never quite so directly. The druid wasn't quite sure what she should make of it, but she had no real time to think about it, as he nudged her legs further apart with his foot.

"Do you feel the wind?" He asked her quietly, his voice so close to her ear that Arinna felt a small shiver run down her spine. She didn't quite trust her voice, so she just nodded, while he adjusted the position of both their arms. "It's going to push the blade slightly to the left, so keep your aim steady."

His hand fell from hers and instead it came to rest on her right hip. "Now, throw."

She followed his command, throwing the dagger with all her might. It flew through the air and hit the tree with a thud, embedding itself in the middle of the piece of fabric. A satisfied smile played around Fili's lips while Arinna's mouth dropped open slightly, her eyes bright with the joy of success. She felt like turning around and hugging Fili, so good did it feel to finally have hit the target, even if it was mainly due to his help.

However, she did not turn around to him. In fact, she did not move at all and instead only heard herself speak quietly. "I did it."

"Yes, you did." She felt Fili turn his head slightly toward her, his nose grazing her hair. She could still feel his large hand on her hip as he spoke. "It's all just a question of practice and concentration."

"It's time for -"

They both jumped and broke apart at the sound of Kili's loud voice carrying over the small clearing they had chosen as practice ground. Arinna looked over to see the brunet dwarf standing between the trees, his eyebrows raised as he stared at the two of them. Fili quickly moved toward their practice tree to retrieve both the dagger and the fabric they used as target, therefor avoiding his brother's gaze.

"- supper…" Kili slowly finished his sentence, clearing his throat as he looked from his brother to Arinna. He shot the druid a friendly smile. "I think Bilbo's saved you a plate, Arinna."

The druid nodded, feeling slightly flustered and hot in the face. She quickly grabbed the dagger that Fili was holding out to her wordlessly and then hurried past the two of them, back to camp. Kili looked over his shoulder as she retreated and then turned his gaze to his brother as Fili made his way past him.

"What?" Fili harrumphed slightly, only shooting the younger dwarf a short look before he averted his eyes at his brother's meaningful stare.

"Oh, nothing," Kili grinned as he turned and followed after him. "Nothing at all, nadad."

* * *

They had reached the outskirts of the Misty Mountains after another week on the road and had begun their ascent earlier that day. Fili was hiking along, up the mountainside, with his brother at his front and the druid woman behind him. He had been lost in thought for most of the day and hadn't really spoken much with anyone, not even Kili.

He had kept training with Arinna for the past few days, encouraging her and rejoicing in her slow but steady progress with her. But he had been careful not to repeat another situation that could have been misinterpreted by others. He thought he knew what Kili was thinking ever since he had surprised them that evening, though he hadn't actually talked to him about it. The was really nothing to talk about, Fili thought. Perhaps it had been inappropriate for him to be so close with her, Fili admitted to himself, though he hadn't meant anything by it. He certainly hadn't done it on purpose.

"There's a storm coming," he heard Arinna say from behind him, though he wasn't sure whether she was addressing him and he didn't turn around to her to check.

They kept walking as the path grew steeper and narrower - and much more dangerous. There was now a cliff rising up high to their left and a sheer drop on the other side. Arinna had been right about the storm, which was now raging around them, but Thorin kept them moving. There was no way that they could stop now, Fili knew, they had to find some sort of shelter or else they would probably soon all fall to their deaths.

Thunder rolled over them at a deafening volume and lightning pierced the dark sky, as the rain came down hard upon them, making it hard to see anything. The stony path that they were treading was wet and slippery, forcing them to move slowly.

"Bilbo!" Someone cried out behind him and Fili turned his head, squinting through the rain and seeing the hobbit being pulled back onto the path by Dwalin after a piece of rock had fallen away beneath the Halfling's feet.

"We must find shelter!" Dwalin shouted over the noise of the storm, his voice barely loud enough to carry all the way to Thorin at the front of the company.

"WATCH OUT!"

Fili didn't know who was yelling when he looked up with the others, seeing a massive boulder hurtling through the air towards them. The blond dwarf ducked as it hit the mountainside above them, splintering and causing a wave of rocks to fall all around them. Fili pressed himself against the mountain, ducking his head as the rocks fell past him and down into the abyss. He looked up with heavy breaths, only now realising that one of his arms had shot out instinctively and was hovering in front of the druid, who was holding herself close to the wall beside him. He caught her frightened look through the rain.

"This is no thunderstorm!" He heard Balin yell from somewhere further ahead. "It's a thunder battle! Look!"

Fili looked up, not quite believing his eyes, as he squinted through the raindrops on his face and saw a stone giant, larger than anything he had ever seen before, rearing up from a nearby mountain. He watched with wide eyes as it ripped off another enormous boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Bless me!" Bofur shouted in amazement as he leaned forward to get a better look. "The legends are true! Giants! Stone Giants!"

"Take cover, you fool!" Thorin's voice boomed across the path and Bofur seemed to remember himself just in time, ducking away as the giant threw the boulder far in the air. They watched as it flew and hit another giant, which had risen up behind them, in the head. Thunder rolled over them as they yelled out and braced themselves, holding on to the stone as best they could.

Fili felt the rocks beneath his feet give away from the incredible vibration that ran deep through the stone and from the impact of more falling rocks. He scrambled back against the wall as much as he could, pressing his back against it. And then he suddenly heard a loud crack at his side and he saw the ground between himself and Kili split.

"We're on one!" Someone screamed as the company was divided and Fili reached out his hand toward his brother, panic clutching at his heart as he watched him drift further away.

"Kili! Grab my hand!" He yelled, desperately trying to reach him but the gap quickly became too big and he could only watch as his little brother stared at him with wide eyes, too far away now. Fili almost fell then, still leaning forward when the giant beneath them suddenly began to move. He felt someone forcefully yank him back by the fur of his collar and met Arinna's eyes as she kept a firm grip on him.

As the two stone giants began fighting with their fists, the dwarves held on tightly as they were flung around. Fili couldn't see the other part of their group now, instead he saw another stone giant suddenly throw a boulder at the head of the one they were trapped on. They cried out as they felt the giant begin to fall and as they looked up, they came face to face with a fast approaching cliffside.

"BRACE!" Dwalin shouted as loud as he could and Fili, again reacting out of instinct more than anything else, threw himself in front of Arinna at the last moment as they smashed against the rock.

The next thing Fili heard was his uncle shouting his name and he opened his eyes, surprised to find himself still alive. He was met with the wide green eyes of the druid lying beneath him, her hands both buried in his furs as she stared up at him, while his own hands were wrapped around her head protectively. They were both breathing heavily and Fili took a second to press his hands against her hair, checking her face for any obvious injuries. He looked back into her eyes when he couldn't find any, releasing a shuddering breath as his thumb traced softly over the top of her forehead.

"We're alright!"

"We're alive!"

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?!"

The last yell pulled both dwarf and druid out of their trance and Fili quickly scrambled off her, helping her to her feet as they looked around for the Halfling. Ori found him first, calling out fearfully and pointing at the edge of the cliff.

Bilbo was hanging off the edge, holding on to a precariously small bit of stone with just his fingertips. The dwarves yelled out to get him and Ori dove onto the ground, trying to grab the hobbit's arm but it was right at that moment that the stone beneath Bilbo's grip suddenly gave way and he fell another few feet with a scream, barely managing to catch another handhold.

More of the dwarves now dove for the edge, reaching down as far as they could to try and pull the hobbit up but it was no use, they couldn't reach him. As they tried to pull him up unsuccessfully, Thorin suddenly swung himself off the cliff next to Bilbo and gave him a quick boost up. The hobbit managed to crawl back onto solid ground with the dwarves' help.

"Thorin!" Kili yelled, when he suddenly saw his uncle slip and lose his grip. Dwalin dove forward again, managing to catch the dark-haired dwarf by the arm before he fell. Kili came to his aid, grabbing for his uncle and pulling him back up to safety.

There was a heavy silence over the company as they all struggled to catch their breath, thunder still rolling over them as they looked at each other with relief over having survived the whole ordeal.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar," grunted Dwalin eventually, getting to his feet beside Thorin with a groan.

"He's been lost ever since he left home," the dwarf-king growled loudly in return, anger radiating off him as he shot the hobbit a dark look. Bilbo shrank back in the face of Thorin's fury. "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us. Dwalin! Come on, let's find shelter. I want to get out of this blasted storm."

No one said anything as the two dwarves walked off, Thorin storming ahead with a murderous look still playing on his face. It was Balin who was the first of the rest of them to move, making a tired motion to the others to follow him.

They found a cave not long after, dark, damp and cold but good enough to use as shelter from the storm still raging on outside.

"It looks safe enough," stated Dwalin as the company filed into the cave, exchanging a look with the dwarf-king, whose eyes were sceptical but tired.

"Search to the back," he answered gruffly. "Caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied."

Dwalin just inclined his head, and he and Gloin quickly marched off further into the cave to inspect it. They came back only a few moments later, nodding at Thorin. "There's nothing here."

"Let's get a fire going," Gloin then suggested but Thorin quickly shook his head, giving his companions a stern look.

"No, no fires. Not in this place," he ordered roughly. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."

"But Thorin," Balin interjected quietly, looking at his king with furrowed brows. "We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan."

"Plans change," was all Thorin huffed in reply, before he turned away from Balin whose gaze was still worried. "Oin, Arinna, make the rounds. Make sure no one was injured. Bofur, take first watch."

The dwarves began to settle down in the cave then, wrapping their arms around themselves to keep somewhat warm, as their clothes were still wet and the cold wind was howling outside, blowing into the cave every now and again. Arinna and Oin did as Thorin had ordered, both starting at opposite ends of the company and making their way through.

Arinna was happy to find that none of the dwarves had been badly injured, most of them just sporting some bruises. She was currently taking care of a cut above Dwalin's brow, though the dwarf kept brushing her hand away from his face.

"I'm fine, lass," he grumbled, leaning back against the stone behind him with a huff. "Believe me, I've had worse than this scrape."

"I don't doubt it, Dwalin," Arinna retorted, slightly frustrated with the burly dwarf as she picked up a small amount of ointment that she had stored in a small pot in her pack. She reached out to his wound again, her eyes narrowing dangerously at him when he made motions to brush her off again. "Dwalin, I am too tired for this. I know you're tough and you don't deem this wound worthy of treatment, but believe me when I say that even small injuries can cause bigger trouble if left unchecked. And it would be foolish to refuse help when it is given freely."

Dwalin huffed quietly at her words, though he didn't move to keep her hands off his face again. Arinna gave a curt nod and proceeded to spread the bit of ointment on his wound. The dwarf flinched at first, then he visibly relaxed.

"Aye," he rumbled in his usual gruff tone, as Arinna retrieved her hand, his voice low. "That does feel better, actually. Thank you, lass."

The druid only inclined her head, giving the dwarf a small smile before she got up and retreated to her own spot in the cave, having checked up on all the others. She sat down with a deep sigh, her right hand coming up to rub softly up and down her left arm. Her scar was throbbing, though she wasn't in much pain.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up when Kili sat down beside her with a small groan, letting his head drop back against the stone wall. He looked as exhausted as Arinna felt. The druid nodded, before she shrugged slightly.

"Just a bit sore is all," she admitted and Kili just made a face that could only be interpreted as agreement. He looked over at her then, a strange look on his face. The druid couldn't quite tell what he was thinking, mistaking the dwarf's expression as simple exhaustion. But Kili's mind was occupied with something entirely different. He was remembering what he had seen when he and the others had watched Arinna and the rest of their group hurtle toward the cliffside to their almost certain deaths. His gaze drifted over to where his brother sat, talking quietly to Ori a few paces further down the dark cave.

"He shielded me," Arinna muttered from beside him and Kili turned his head to see that she had followed his gaze and was looking at Fili as well.

"I know," Kili answered quietly. "I saw."

Arinna tore her gaze away from the blond dwarf, shaking her head slightly. Kili glanced at her, curious at the frustrated line that seemed to have formed between her brows. He cleared his throat then, sending her a small smile. "Well, I'm certainly glad you're all still in one piece. Could have ended much worse."

"Indeed," Arinna sighed in return, but said nothing else on the matter. Instead, she nestled herself closer against the cold stone, trying to get warm as best she could. Kili did the same beside her and it didn't take long until exhaustion overcame their senses and they both drifted off to sleep.


	8. Goblin Town

**Happy Friday!**

* * *

"Wake up! WAKE UP!"

Arinna's eyes shot open at Thorin's shouts, though it was already too late to react by then. She screamed as she felt the ground give out beneath her and she suddenly found herself falling through the air, hurtling down a large chute into the dark depths of the mountain. A breathless grunt left her when her body abruptly met the ground, hitting the floor of a wooden cage with a painful thud. She had fallen onto Kili, who was squirming beneath her and she was trying to get off him when she was knocked back down by Bifur's heavy form falling on top of her.

"Get them up!" She heard someone screech and she looked up when someone roughly grabbed her by the collar and yanked her upwards, coming face to face with a goblin. The creature bared its sharp, yellowed teeth in a dark grin as it poked a sword at her. "Take their weapons!"

Arinna couldn't react when she was pulled out of the cage by several dirty pairs of hands, trying to fight off the goblins who were stripping her of her weapons. She was hit in the face then, feeling a sharp set of nails scratch her cheek and she stumbled back.

"Get off her, you disgusting rat!" Kili growled, pulling the druid behind him and kicking at the goblin that had attacked her. He, along with the rest of the company, was now unarmed but still putting up as much of a fight as they could.

But it was no use, they were outnumbered by the horde of goblins who were now poking and pushing them along a long wooden path that snaked through the inside of an enormous mountain cave. Arinna wiped a bit of blood off her cheek as she stumbled along, her face dark as she looked around, seeing more and more goblins slinking out of the darkness. The dwarves had somehow managed to push her into the middle of the group and she was now flanked protectively to all sides, though she couldn't deny that she was grateful for it. She was not keen on being within arm's reach of these foul beasts.

The goblin horde led them along a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges, further into the depths of the mountain, until they finally reached a great platform on which a giant throne sat, adorned with skulls and other skeletal parts, and on it a huge goblin with crown of bones on his head. Arinna's eyes widened in shock and disgust as she looked up at the creature. The goblin king was far larger than any other goblin, and incredibly ugly, with warts all over his swinging chin. He jumped off his throne as the company was pushed in front of him and their weapons were piled up together a little further away.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" The goblin king spoke, his voice loud and high, piercing the companions' ears. "Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves, Your Malevolence," announced one of his subjects, the one that had hit Arinna in the face earlier.

The goblin king bent forward, taking a long look at the group before him. Arinna's view of him was momentarily blocked as the dwarf in front of her, Fili, she realised, took a step to the side to hide her away from the goblin king's gaze. "Dwarves? Well don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice!"

The dwarves yelled and struggled as the goblins rushed them again, searching them thoroughly and throwing away anything they found. Oin's hearing trumpet, among other things, was thrown on the floor and crushed beneath their feet. Arinna cried out when she felt a clawed hand reach for the silver chain around her neck and she blindly kicked out and caught the goblin's shin. The beast yelped and bent over in pain, giving the druid enough time to land a swift, hard punch in its ugly face, knocking it back, before she felt someone pull her back into the relative safety of the group.

"What are you doing in these parts?" The goblin king questioned. "Speak!"

Arinna looked around, seeing Bofur take a step in front of Thorin, who had been about to move forward to address the huge goblin.

"If it's information you want, then I'm the one you should speak to!" Bofur announced, earning himself a few doubtful looks from his companions. Arinna doubted that he was planning on telling the goblin king anything useful, and she was not disappointed when the hatted dwarf continued. "See, we were on the road… well, it's not so much a road as a path. Actually, it's not even that, come to think of it. It's more like a track. Anyway, point is, we were on this road, like a path, like a track… and then we weren't. Just like that. Which, of course, is a problem, because we were supposed to be in Dunland last Tuesday."

Arinna's eyebrows had risen almost all the way up to her hairline at the nonsense Bofur was sputtering and she couldn't help but admire his ability to just waffle, saying whatever came into his mind in the face of danger. The goblin king was trying to listen to him attentively, but Bofur's convoluted way of speaking confused him visibly.

"Visiting distant relations," Bofur went on swiftly with his story, nodding at the large goblin as though he should already be in the know about all of it. "Some inbreds on my mother's side. See, the trouble is this -"

"SHUT UP!" The goblin king screeched. Arinna winced at the volume, his voice echoing through the cavern as his subjects ducked away fearfully. "If they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring up the mangler, bring up the bone-breaker! Start with that one!"

Arinna followed the goblin king's finger as he pointed at the dwarves, eyes widening when she realised that he was looking at Fili. The blond dwarf was standing near the front of the group and the dwarves around him quickly began yelling again, trying to fight off the goblins that were now grabbing for Fili. It was then that Thorin's voice rose over the ruckus, addressing the goblin king directly as he stepped forward.

"Wait!" The dwarf-king growled. "Get your hands off him."

"Well, well, well," the goblin king drawled when he recognised the dwarf before him. He took a few steps back toward his throne, looking at Thorin with cruel eyes. "Look who it is! Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror… King under the Mountain! Oh, but I forget, you don't have a mountain and you're not a king. Which makes you… nobody, really. And yet, I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, mind you, nothing attached."

When Thorin said nothing, the goblin king narrowed his eyes, leaning over him. "Perhaps you know of whom I speak. An old enemy of yours… A Pale Orc astride a white warg."

Arinna's eyes widened at the creature's words, remembering the look she had caught from Gandalf the night that Thorin had explained to them how Azog's life had ended. Thorin reacted to the words, as the goblin king had intended.

"Azog the Defiler was destroyed," he growled, though doubt suddenly played in his mind. "He was slain in battle long ago!"

"So, you think his defiling days are done, do you?" The goblin king laughed shrilly, turning away from Thorin who could only look at him in disbelief. He turned to one of the goblins under his command. "Send word to the Pale Orc. Tell him I have found his prize."

Four goblins rushed forward, grabbing hold of Thorin and forcefully pushing him down onto his knees. The dwarf-king cried out furiously, as did his companions. The dwarves who were closest to Thorin tried to reach him, moving forward and immediately being attacked by more goblins. The goblin king's laugh rang out over them mercilessly.

"Slash them!" He screeched gleefully. "Whip them! Rip them apart!"

The dwarves cried out when whips came down upon them, trying to duck away as the goblins laughed maniacally. Arinna was pushed around in the chaos, stumbling forward and clashing into Fili's back, who was kicking at the goblins in front of him, who were still trying to grab him and drag him away. She heard him yelp in pain when a whip suddenly caught him across the face and he tripped and fell, one of the goblins using this opportunity to jump on him, trying to scratch his eyes out.

Arinna reacted out of pure instinct, quickly moving forward and kicking the beast off of him with full force, making it tumble and scream. It screeched angrily before it came straight for them again, its teeth bared to bury into any part of Fili that it could reach. It was then that the druid suddenly remembered that she still had one weapon, the dagger tucked into her boot, and she drew it quickly, rushing forward and burying it in the goblin's head with a fierce cry.

"Get up! Fili, get up!" She yelled, as she kicked the goblin's body away, grabbing Fili's shoulder and pulling him to his feet. The blond dwarf blinked at her, a long slash now running down the side of his face. Blood was dripping from his brow as he squeezed her arm gratefully.

She heard the goblin king suddenly screech again and she looked up to see him scrambling backwards onto his throne, squashing a few of his own subjects beneath his large feet as he pointed at the pile of weapons that had been taken off the company.

"I know that sword!" He yelped, pointing at something on the floor. "It is the Goblin Cleaver! The Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! CUT OFF HIS HEAD!"

Arinna saw the goblins holding Thorin down, struggling to keep him there as one of them raised a sharp, ragged knife, preparing to behead the king. The druid cried out, not knowing what to do, not being able to do anything, when she was suddenly thrown off her feet, along with the others, as a great explosion of light filled the cavern. Goblins were flung into the air, their torturing machines suddenly destroyed. Arinna blinked against the bright light, her eyes finding a tall figure standing at its origin, and she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Gandalf, holding his staff and sword at the ready.

"Take up arms!" She heard him call. "Fight! Fight!"

Arinna did not hesitate to follow the wizard's command. She scrambled to her feet with the others, pushing her way through the chaos toward the pile of weapons and quickly picking up her sword. Bombur and Bifur were right behind her, picking up their own weapons and beginning to toss them to the rest of the company. The druid punched her elbow into the face of a goblin that had come up behind her, before she grabbed the rest of her things off the floor.

"Arinna!"

She turned her head, seeing Fili rush toward her with two goblins on his heels, and she shot another look at the weapon pile, quickly finding what she was looking for. She picked up Fili's swords, turned back and threw them to him as best she could. The dwarf caught them in the air, before he swiveled around and took off the heads of the two goblins that were following him with one swift move. He shot her a grateful look as she came to stand beside him, her sword brandished at her side.

As the dwarves fought, Thorin deflected a blow from the goblin king's mace that was aimed at Nori, causing the beast to stumble backward until he suddenly tripped over one of his subjects and fell over the edge of the platform to the depths below with a loud cry.

"Follow me!" Gandalf called, seeing the opportunity to flee, fighting off more goblins as he made his way through them. "Quick! Run!"

Arinna ran after the wizard with the others, cutting down the goblins around her as they followed a pathway leading away from the throne room. The druid felt her heart beat wildly in her chest. Screams and screeches filled her ears as the goblins chased after them and more came out of their holes to attack them from all sides as they made their way through the dark cavern.

They ran across unsteady wooden bridges, deeper and deeper into the mountain and further down into Goblin Town. Fili was keeping up at the end of the line, slashing his swords at anything that came too close and protecting the company from being jumped on from behind. He had just taken off running again after having killed another goblin and pushing it over the edge, when he suddenly felt a sharp pain rip through his right shoulder. He cried out, as he kept running, looking behind him to see a horde of goblins pointing their bows at him, and he realised that he had been hit by an arrow.

"Come on, lad!" Dwalin yelled at him, grabbing Fili's collar from where he was running ahead of him. He pulled the young prince along, careful not to let him fall behind, and Fili tried to ignore the pain in his shoulder as he kept going, hoping that Gandalf would soon manage to lead them out of this forsaken place.

They reached another bridge then, but before they could cross it, suddenly the goblin king broke through it from beneath them, sending wooden planks flying through the air. Gandalf and the company halted abruptly, coming face to face with the great beast while the goblins behind them began to catch up.

"You thought you could escape me?" The goblin king laughed, slashing at Gandalf with his mace. The grey wizard deflected the first blow and stumbled slightly backwards, out of the way of the second one. "What are you going to do now, wizard?"

Gandalf did not answer, instead he cried out angrily and slashed his sword vigorously across the goblin's stomach. For a moment, the goblin king only stared at the wizard dumbly, before dark blood began to pool from his wound and he collapsed before them. The wood creaked beneath his weight and a second later, the damaged bridge gave way completely.

"Hold on to something!" Thorin shouted as they began to fall again, sliding down into the depths of the cavern on the broken piece of bridge at rapid speed. The dwarves screamed as they crashed downwards, until they hit the ground with sudden force.

Arinna groaned, feeling her whole body ache with the feeling of several dwarves and a broken bridge on top of her. She looked up, seeing Gandalf scramble out of the pile. It was a miracle that they had survived that fall, she thought, beginning to crawl out from under the rubble, as well. She took Gandalf's hand as the wizard helped her to her feet and not a moment too soon, as she heard the dwarves yell out behind her, when suddenly the dead body of the goblin king crashed down upon them, as well.

"You've got to be joking," she heard Dwalin growl from somewhere beneath the pile.

The druid looked up then, seeing more goblins climbing down the walls toward them. "There are too many, Gandalf!" She breathed heavily, fear filling her voice. "We cannot fight them!"

"There's only one thing that can save us now," Gandalf answered her with a haunted look of his own. He called out, urging the dwarves to move. "Daylight! On your feet! Come on!"

Arinna looked around, taking a short moment to feel the air around her before she nodded at Gandalf, who had felt the same thing. A breeze of fresh air was coming through one of the tunnels before them and the wizard and druid quickly ran ahead, leading the dwarves down that path. The screeches of the goblins echoed through the caverns behind them as they ran and it didn't take too long before they could see it, the glow of the evening sun shining through an opening in the mountainside.

It was only when the druid ran to the outside that she realised how long they must have been inside the goblin tunnels and she greedily breathed in the fresh evening air as she ran down the hill, following closely behind Gandalf. They kept going for a little while, making sure to leave enough distance between themselves and the mountain before they took a moment to breathe.

Gandalf stopped running eventually and so did Arinna, coming to a stumbling halt a few feet away from him between the trees. She bent over, struggling to catch her breath, while the dwarves joined them one after the other. She heard Gandalf count them as they came to a halt.

"Nine, ten…"

"Here, lad. Slowly," she heard Dwalin's rough voice over the wizard's from somewhere close by and looked up to see him helping Fili, sitting the blond dwarf down onto a small boulder. Fili was breathing heavily, dried blood covering his face. Arinna took a last deep breath before she stepped toward them, watching as Dwalin exchanged a firm nod with the young dwarf. She only saw the arrow sticking out the back of Fili's right shoulder, when Dwalin was already yanking it out in one swift move. She flinched at FIli's pained outcry, following the scene as Dwalin showed the arrow to the blond dwarf for a moment before he threw it to the ground.

"Fili!" The druid breathed, stepping up to him. She could hardly speak for how concerned she was at his sight. She took a step closer, reaching out her hand gently toward his shoulder. "You were hit. Let me see, that wound will need taking care of."

Fili just let his head hang down in between his legs, not even trying to resist when she began to undo his overcoat. He was too exhausted to pretend like he was completely fine and he was grateful for the druid's help.

"Fili, by Mahal!" Another voice called out and the blond dwarf looked up to his his little brother walking toward him with a worried frown on his face. He could see the fear in Kili's eyes as his eyes darted to his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Kili's voice had now attracted more attention toward the injured dwarf and Thorin stepped closer to the group, as well, looking his oldest nephew over. Fili was pale and breathing heavily, though he was trying to make it look less bad than it was beneath the many looks of his companions. The druid was busy trying to remove some of his layers to get a better look at the wound on his shoulder and Thorin let out a deep sigh as he addressed her.

"Can you take care of it?" He asked and Arinna looked up from where her fingers were trying to unhook a stubborn clasp on Fili's coat, trying not to yank it too hard so as not to hurt him any more.

"Yes, but I'll need to get a good look at it first," she answered him tightly, her brows furrowed with concern while her eyes were filled with silent determination. "It'll take a while."

"Be as quick as you can," Thorin said with a small nod. "We must get off this mountainside as soon as possible."

"We're one short," Gandalf suddenly spoke over them loudly, looking around for their fifteenth companion. "Where's Bilbo? Where's our hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!"

Arinna looked up again, distracted from Fili's coat for a moment as she glanced around for her friend, who was nowhere to be seen. She felt panic claw at her heart when she couldn't find him. Had he been left behind in the mountain? Had he been hurt? Dwalin stomped the hilt of his axe onto the ground beside her.

"Curse the Halfling! Now he's lost?!"

"I thought he was with Dori!" Called Gloin, and upon his statement the dwarves immediately began arguing amongst themselves about who should have been watching the hobbit. Gandalf angrily spoke over all of them again, his voice now urgent.

"Well, where did you last see him?"

It was Nori who spoke up. "I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us. I didn't see him again after that."

"What happened exactly?" Demanded the wizard harshly. "Tell me!"

"Aye, I'll tell you," Thorin growled in reply, turning toward the wizard with a dark look on his face. Like it wasn't enough that his nephew was injured and they had all barely escaped with their lives, now they should worry about that accursed Halfling. "I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! Believe me, Gandalf, we will not be seeing our hobbit again."

Arinna shook her head, her eyes flicking away from Fili's shoulder again toward the dark-haired dwarf-lord. "I don't think that's what happened," she said loudly, hearing Fili letting out a sigh beside her.

"And how would you know?" Thorin turned on her with a scoff. "Is it not true that he wanted to go back to Rivendell? Is it not true that he does not belong on this quest?"

"No, Thorin, it is not true!" Arinna shot back, anger rising within her now as she returned the dwarf-king's gaze darkly. "And if he does feel like he should have gone back to Rivendell, if he does feel like he does not belong, then it is only because you keep telling him so!"

The dark-haired dwarf glared at her but the druid's gaze did not falter. "The hobbit has left us, girl," he growled. "He is long gone."

"No, he's not."

The company's heads turned in surprise at Bilbo's voice and they suddenly saw him step out from behind a tree, sending them a slightly awkward smile. They exchanged looks of shock and relief at seeing him, and Gandalf laughed heartily as he spoke.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

The hobbit inclined his head at the wizard, slowly striding forward into the group. Balin reached out to pat him on the shoulder affectionately and Bilbo returned the gesture with a smile.

"We'd almost given you up," Arinna heard Fili say through gritted teeth beside her, his blue eyes trained on the hobbit as he caught his gaze. Fili shook his head in slight wonder. "How on earth did you get past the goblins?"

"How, indeed," reiterated Dwalin suspiciously.

Arinna looked to Bilbo for an answer, as did all the others, seeing him falter slightly as he thought of what to say. The druid frowned when the hobbit merely let out a nervous laugh, putting his hands on his hips. For a moment, Arinna could have sworn that Bilbo had just slipped something shiny into his waist pocket.

"Well, what does it matter," she heard Gandalf mutter, though the wizard's voice was thoughtful now. "He's back!"

"It matters! It matters a great deal," Thorin spoke up then, his steely blue gaze fixed on the hobbit. "I want to know. Why did you come back?"

"Look, I know you doubt me," Bilbo sighed, looking down at the ground before he glanced back up at Thorin, now returning the dwarf's gaze with more confidence. "I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back… because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

There was a touched silence over the group after Bilbo had spoken, none of them really knowing what to say as they thought about his words. Thorin inclined his head, taken aback by the hobbit's sincerity. Arinna was smiling softly, looking at the hobbit with pride, before she finally took a small breath and concentrated back on her task at hand.

"Agh," Fili hissed as she pulled open the clasp that she had been struggling with. The druid shot him an apologetic look but the dwarf just shook his head at her, a small gesture of his hand motioning for her to continue.

"I'll try to be more gentle," she muttered, causing the blond dwarf to smile slightly at the ground despite the pain he was in.

He was about to reply something when he heard it. A sequence of long howls echoed over the hill and through the trees. His head shot up and he caught the druid's haunted look as she also realised what the origin of the noise was.

"I do so hate that sound," Fili breathed, straightening up with a pained grimace.

"Couldn't agree more," said Arinna, giving him a pointed look before she grabbed his uninjured arm and pulled him to his feet with her.

"RUN!" Thorin yelled and they all scrambled to their feet, taking off down the hillside as fast as they could as the wargs began their pursuit of them through the forest.


	9. Butting heads

**Chapter 9, I hope you like it!**

* * *

Fili ran as fast as his legs carried him, one of his swords brandished in his right hand, even though his shoulder was now throbbing with excruciating pain. He heard the wargs gaining on them from behind as they ran downhill through the forest, and it wasn't long until the first of the beasts had caught up to them. The blond dwarf swung his sword at a warg that was snapping at his heels, catching it across the face. He didn't stay to fight and finish it off though and instead just kept running, knowing that if he were to stop to fight off one of them, many more would soon catch up to him.

The sky had grown dark by now and Fili suddenly saw the companions before him coming to a stumbling halt. His eyes widened when he saw the approaching cliff edge. They had run straight into a dead end, he realised with horror.

"Up into the trees!" Gandalf shouted over the howls and snarls of the approaching wargs. "Quickly! Climb!"

Fili didn't hesitate, seeing his little brother climbing one of the large fir trees a little ways ahead. He made straight for it and caught the hand that Kili was reaching down toward him, the brunet dwarf heaving him onto one of its branches, while the others were climbing onto trees further up. Fili cried out as the wound on his shoulder stretched with the effort of getting onto the tree, breathing heavily as he exchanged a meaningful look with his brother.

"Bilbo! Bilbo, run! Run!" The young dwarf suddenly heard a female voice scream and he looked around at Arinna's audible panic, his eyes finding the hobbit trying to retrieve his small sword from the head of a dead warg. Fili didn't take the time to think about the fact that the hobbit had apparently been able to kill one of the beasts and instead just called for him as well.

Bilbo finally managed to pull out his sword and, seeing that all his companions were up in the trees, began running toward them. Fili saw one warg closing in dangerously behind the hobbit before an arrow suddenly pierced its head and it fell dead to the floor at the hobbit's heels. The blond dwarf didn't have to look around to know who had shot the arrow, for there were only two archers among them and his brother was beside him, busy reaching down to catch the hobbit's outstretched hand. Fili helped pull Bilbo up into the tree in the nick of time, the two brothers manoeuvring him to safety as a warg snapped at his hairy feet.

The trees shook with the weight of the wargs that were now throwing themselves against them, jumping up the trunks to try and reach the dwarves. Arinna was holding on to a branch above her head up in the last tree before the very edge of the cliff, watching the scene before her unfold with fear pounding in her heart and her blood whooshing in her ears. She heard Ori cry out beneath her and looked down, seeing a warg jumping and snapping at the very branch he was standing on, threatening to snap it and bring the young scribe down.

"Ori!" She yelled, reaching down her right arm to him. "Climb up! Quickly!"

The young dwarf took her hand and she pulled with all her might as he scrambled upwards, but Ori was heavier than she thought, and so she had to use her left arm as well, struggling to keep her balance as she grabbed the dwarf with both hands. She cried out slightly through gritted teeth with Ori's weight pulling on her scarred arm but managed to get him up in time as the warg broke the branch beneath.

Then she suddenly heard great groans and cracks as the trees around her were uprooted, tilting and falling with the dwarves still hanging on for dear life. Arinna watched as her companions jumped from one tree to the next, each one giving way beneath them and falling under the wargs' continuing assaults. A few moments later, all of her friends were trapped on the very same tree as her, the last one still standing. But Arinna could already feel the roots groaning with the pressure put on them, her hand pressed against the bark of the trunk as she held on.

And then Arinna could see him. A small distance further up the hill, stood at the front of a pack of warg-riders, was a Pale Orc astride a white warg, just as the goblin king had said. Azog the Defiler was still alive and had found them. He was speaking slowly, though she did not understand what he was saying. His gaze rested on something below her and the druid looked down to see that it was Thorin he was staring at, a cruel grin playing on his face.

It was at that moment that a burning pine cone suddenly flew past her head toward the ground, smashing into the forest floor and sending sparks flying. Three more cones followed swiftly after it, quickly spreading their fire across the ground, and the wargs howled and moved back from the tree they were trapped on, one of them even catching on fire and running off into the trees. The druid heard the dwarves cheer for a moment, but their victory was short lived. As the fire spread below them, the tree they were hanging on to finally gave out, beginning to tilt over the edge of the cliff.

"ARINNA!" Gandalf's call reached her ears and she looked up at him questioningly, seeing his bright eyes staring meaningfully at her, his voice commanding urgency. "The tree! The tree!"

The druid gave a rash nod at his words, gathering the wizard's meaning quickly, as she pressed one palm firmly against the bark of the tree, closing her eyes.

"Vurte na i rruna," she muttered quietly, trying to concentrate on her thoughts and words amidst all the chaos around her. "Vurte na i rruna. Tha es sal numonro."

She kept her eyes firmly closed as the tree groaned beneath her touch, keeping up her quiet chant. But she could still hear what was happening around her and so she heard when the dwarves suddenly called after Thorin, their voices filled with fear and shock. The druid couldn't help herself and looked up for just a moment, seeing the dwarf-king running at the Pale Orc with his sword raised and a battle cry on his lips.

The tree tilted further with a sudden lurch and Arinna pressed her eyes shut again, her words growing more desperate as she tried to give the roots some strength. "Vurte na i rruna, tha es sal numonro… tha es sal numonro!"

She heard a snarl and Thorin's scream, desperately keeping up her chant as tears escaped from behind her closed lids. She could not let the tree fall, otherwise they would all die. But then she heard Bilbo, the hobbit's voice ringing out over the noise around her and again her eyes opened of their own volition. She saw the little hobbit race across the forest floor, fire burning around him as he threw himself in front of an unconscious Thorin, ripping an orc off its feet before he buried his sword in its chest.

As the Pale Orc approached Bilbo on his warg, the beast snarling dangerously at him as he positioned himself protectively in front of Thorin, the rest of the dwarves suddenly rose from their positions. They scrambled to their feet and jumped down onto the ground, rushing to the hobbit's aid with their weapons drawn.

Arinna's grip on the tree faltered as she watched her companions charge into the line of orcs and she looked up at Gandalf for a moment, seeing that he was leaning over the edge of the tree, his staff the only thing that kept Dori and Ori from falling to their deaths as they hung onto it for dear life. She hadn't even registered Ori loosing his balance, she realised with a start, but her thoughts went elsewhere as the wizard caught her gaze, a knowing look in his eyes. Arinna could see him nod his head almost unnoticeably and she quickly let go of the bark and grabbed her sword instead.

Fili and Kili were fighting alongside each other, slashing their way through the orcs and wargs, hellbent on getting to and protecting their uncle even though they were clearly and hopelessly outnumbered. Fili dove out of the way as a sword came at him and heard it collide with his brother's blade instead. He saw Kili being thrown to the ground at the impact, burying his sword in a warg's neck, knocking the rider off it as it fell. The blond dwarf tried to scramble to his feet when he saw another riderless warg run at him, bracing himself for impact when suddenly another figure charged at the beast from the side.

The young prince watched Arinna mercilessly drive her blade into the warg's side and he took her hand when she reached him, letting her pull him to his feet. They exchanged a small look before they spun around again, ready to keep fighting a loosing battle when suddenly great caws filled the night sky above them.

"Eagles!" Arinna breathed, her eyes widening in wonder as she looked up and Fili followed her awestruck gaze, seeing a dozen giant eagles swoop down upon the burning cliff edge. They grabbed orcs and wargs in their large talons, lifting them up mid-flight and knocking them down again, or unceremoniously dropping them over the edge. He saw another eagle blow the raging fire in bursts at the beasts by batting its great wings at them and felt his heart fill with new hope.

Some of the majestic animals began to collect the dwarves then, picking them up with their talons and carrying them off. Fili watched as one of them grabbed his little brother off the ground and it was only a moment later that he was lifted up himself, the eagle grabbing him with one talon and Arinna with the other. They both screamed as they were dropped into thin air only moments later, before they landed on the back of another eagle.

Fili looked back over his shoulder as the birds carried them away from the burning forest and he caught a glimpse of the Pale Orc standing by the edge of it, staring after them with a dark snarl on its face. Then the prince's gaze darted forward and his eyes searched for his uncle, finding him only a few seconds later being carried unconscious in an eagle's grasp.

"Thorin," he breathed fearfully, before he raised his voice, calling out to his uncle. "Thorin!"

There was no response and no movement in the dwarf-king and Fili felt his stomach tighten in a concerned knot.

* * *

The eagles carried them over the peaks of the Misty Mountains, the sun rising on the horizon and dipping the lands below them into golden light. Arinna was sat in front of Fili on the back of one of the eagles, though they had not spoken for hours now, not since they had escaped the orcs. She could tell that the blond dwarf's thoughts were preoccupied with his uncle, who was still unconscious. Arinna was worried for the dwarf-king, as well, though another thought was nagging at her, being part of the cause why she had not said a word to Fili so far. She simply couldn't shake the image she had of him in her head, pale and breathless from his already injured shoulder, dried blood still on his face, trying to scramble to his feet in the face of an attacking warg.

It was another while later that the eagles finally began their descent, dropping the company off on an enormous lone-standing cliff that Arinna recognised as the Carrock. One could hardly mistake it with its rough, bear-like form. She saw Gandalf bending over Thorin on the ground as their eagle landed and she quickly jumped off, followed by Fili. They swiftly made their way over to the wizard and Arinna watched with relief as Thorin's eyes fluttered open. He gasped for air, saying something to Gandalf, though it was too low for Arinna to hear. She heard Fili breathe a deep sigh of relief beside her.

"It's all right," Gandalf answered Thorin's words. "Bilbo is here. He's quite safe."

The druid looked over to where the hobbit stood with Kili and Bofur not far from Thorin and the wizard, his eyes worriedly roaming over the dwarf-king's form. She watched Bilbo with pride and amazement in her eyes, remembering that the hobbit had risked his own life to save Thorin's. She had known that Bilbo would find his courage eventually, though she couldn't help but be surprised at just how brave the little hobbit truly was.

"You!" Thorin growled then, causing not only the druid but other members of the company to frown in confusion as he approached the hobbit. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?"

Bilbo shrank back from the dwarf-king as he came to stand face to face with him, looking worried and frightened at Thorin's gruff tone. He opened his mouth to reply but no sound came out. And then Thorin suddenly moved forward and wrapped his arms around Bilbo, catching him in a firm hug.

"I've never been so wrong in all my life!"

Arinna felt herself relax, a smile appearing on her lips at the amazed look on the hobbit's face, while the dwarves cheered around her and slapped each other on the back. It took Bilbo a few seconds before he returned the dwarf-king's hug and Thorin held him by the shoulders as he pulled back.

"I am sorry I doubted you."

The hobbit shook his head with a small smile. "No, I would have doubted me, too. I'm not a hero or a warrior… not even a burglar."

The companions chuckled at Bilbo's words and Arinna shook her head slightly, still smiling.

"You're selling yourself short, my friend," she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else but Thorin had heard her, sending her a short look over his shoulder before he nodded, glancing back at the hobbit as he released him.

"Indeed," he agreed with a rare smile, patting Bilbo's shoulder affectionately. And then his gaze slowly drifted over the hobbit's shoulder, his blue eyes widening in wonder as he stepped past Bilbo, further toward the edge of the cliff. The others followed him, suddenly realising what he was looking at, as well.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked quietly and Thorin nodded, unable to say anything as he stared at the peak of Lonely Mountain, rising up on the distant horizon.

"Erebor," Gandalf answered the hobbit's question, his gaze set on it, as well. "The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle Earth."

"Our home," muttered Thorin and the company stood with him for another few moments, taking the time to appreciate that their goal was now already in sight. It would be a long time yet before they would reach the mountain, but still they were filled with new hope and vigour.

A little while later, while the sun was still high in the sky, they began their descent down the cliff. Big and uneven steps had been carved into the side of it and the company was moving slowly and in line as they made their way down. Arinna was walking behind Bilbo, not really speaking with anyone while her eyes kept flicking between the uneven ground and the back of Fili's head, who was a little further ahead.

The hike down the Carrock took them over an hour and they marched on a little further once they had reached solid ground again, until they found a good spot to make camp. Though it would still be a while before evening, Thorin decided to stop for the day, as they were all exhausted from the events of the previous day and night.

Arinna had set up her bedroll quickly, pulling a few of her supplies out of her pack as she walked over to where Thorin sat. Oin was already at his side, practically ordering the dwarf-king to let him take a look at his wounds. The druid crouched down in front of them, handing a small satchel to the dwarven healer.

"This will help with the swelling and pain," she explained softly and Oin nodded appreciatively, as he took the satchel from her. Then her gaze fell on Thorin, who was watching her silently. "If you wish, I can gather some herbs and brew you a special kind of tea later to help with an undisturbed sleep."

"I think I'm tired enough to fall asleep on the spot," the dwarf-king answered in a friendly rumble, inclining his head at her gratefully. "I will be fine. Thank you, Arinna."

The druid nodded and stood, about to turn away when Oin spoke up. "Would ye mind taking care of young Fili, lass?" He asked, as he would be busy tending to Thorin. He shot her a meaningful look. "We don't want his wounds getting infected."

"Of course," Arinna simply answered, nodding as both dwarves bowed their heads at her with thanks. The druid looked around then, finding the blond dwarf sitting with his brother and talking quietly. He seemed to be in a fairly bright mood, and almost as though he had already forgotten about his injured face and shoulder, or else he was simply ignoring both. She sighed quietly to herself before she walked up to him, making a small detour to her pack to pick up some more supplies.

"Come on," she said, causing the brothers to look up at her in question when she reached them. She nodded for Fili to follow her. "Your shoulder needs cleaning and dressing. There's a stream nearby."

The blond dwarf exchanged a short look with his little brother, both of them frowning slightly at the druid's cool tone, before he simply nodded and followed her out of the camp. Arinna led him through the trees and Fili was slightly surprised at how well she seemed to know her way, arriving at the bank of a slowly flowing stream not five minutes later.

"How did you know this was here?" He asked curiously, though she merely gave him a small look.

"I have travelled these lands before. Though this stream is as far as I've gone. Sit," she told him, pointing to a small boulder nearby and Fili, still frowning, did as he was told while the druid walked to the edge of the stream, bending down and dipping a clean piece of fabric into the water. Fili followed her movements with his eyes as she came back toward him, nodding vaguely at his chest. "You'll need to lose some layers. I need proper access to the wound."

The prince hesitated for a moment before he nodded slowly. He undid the clasps of his coat, some of which were still open from when she first had been meaning to take care of his shoulder the day before, before he let it drop to the ground beside him. His tunic followed his coat and the dwarf shot the druid a short look before he cleared his throat and removed his undershirt, as well. His blue eyes found hers again when he was done, sitting before her bare-chested, his shoulder now hurting from all the movement.

Arinna said nothing as she moved behind him and Fili sat still while she took a look at his injury. He heard her sigh deeply, before he felt the wet cloth come into contact with his skin. He shuddered, cold drops of water running down his back as the druid began cleaning his wound.

She worked silently, her gaze trained on the dwarf's shoulder while the muscles in his back twitched. The wound wasn't as bad as she had imagined, the arrow not having gone as deep as she had first feared. He was lucky, but it was still a nasty business, she thought, cleaning out the wound that the grimy goblin arrow had left. Arinna knew that she wasn't being very gentle with the dwarf, her thoughts slightly preoccupied as she worked. She heard him hiss at her touch several times, ignoring it until he suddenly yelped quietly.

"Mahal, woman, are you trying to kill me?"

The druid only huffed quietly in reply, giving the wound a few last dabs before she reached down and retrieved a pot of ointment. She heard Fili speak up again, his shoulder twitching slightly under her fingertips as she spread the salve over his skin.

"It's cold."

"It's supposed to be," Arinna merely stated, continuing to pick up a pile of fresh bandages. As she wrapped it around his shoulder, now careful to dress his wound as best she could, she felt Fili's back rise and fall with a deep sigh.

"Have I done something to offend you?" The dwarf asked, making her glance up at the back of his head for a moment, while she tied off the bandage. He turned his head slightly when she didn't answer. "Arinna?"

"No," the druid said, clearing her throat before she moved in front of him, kneeling down as she began work on his face. Fili's pale blue eyes were fixed on her as she slowly dabbed and wiped away the dried blood from his face. The whip in the goblin cave had caught him on his left side, leaving a minor gash from above his brow down to his ear. He had been lucky, indeed, Arinna thought. A bit lower and he could have lost an eye.

Arinna did not look at Fili as she brushed his hair behind his ear, so she could clean the last bit of blood from his temple, or else she might have seen his lingering gaze at the renewed feeling of her fingers in his hair. He thought again about the first time she had touched his hair after the incident with the trolls and how he hadn't told her the possible implications of it in dwarven culture.

"Are we going to talk about whatever it is that has put you in this foul mood?" Fili asked, deciding again to avoid that particular topic, his voice a quiet rumble on the peaceful bank. He watched as Arinna's eyes drifted over the cut on his face, his patience slowly growing thinner as she raised her hand toward it again without returning his gaze. Fili caught her wrist in mid-air, cocking one eyebrow as her green eyes flicked toward him.

"Leave it, it's fine," he uttered, looking at her pointedly. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"Nothing is on my mind," Arinna retorted, trying to stand up but Fili just pulled her back down and held her in place easily, not loosening his grip on her wrist. "Fili! Let go."

"You're stubborn, I'll give you that," Fili said with a raised eyebrow. "But so am I. And I won't take any more of the cold shoulder without knowing what it is that I did. And then, perhaps, I can even apologise."

Arinna rolled her eyes. "It's nothing. I'm… I didn't mean to give you the cold shoulder."

"Then why did you?"

The druid's head dropped in frustration, Fili's hand still wrapped firmly around her wrist as he stared at her. She sighed deeply, trying to figure out a way to tell him what was bothering her without sounding like a complete idiot but her frustration got the better of her before she could think of the right words.

"Why," she muttered. "Why can you never just back down?"

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, brows furrowing as he tried to read her expression. Arinna looked up at him tiredly.

"It just seems to me that you are infuriatingly keen on carrying out every confrontation that presents itself to you, even this one now," the druid growled, trying to articulate her thoughts and suddenly unable to stop herself from continuing. "In fact, you seem to take every chance you get at risking your life. You rush into the midst of a horde of approaching wargs to drag me to safety. When we were trapped in a bloody thunder battle and rushing toward a cliff, you throw yourself in front of me, right into harm's way! You take an arrow to the shoulder and a strike to the face in Goblin Town and yet still throw yourself right back into danger to fight a bunch of orcs at the next opportunity, knowing you can't win!"

Fili's mouth had dropped open slightly as she raged at him and he finally dropped her wrist when she finished, standing up abruptly. He couldn't believe that she was serious, shaking his head as he took a few steps away.

"I'm not done with your head yet," the druid sighed behind him and Fili whirled around, anger suddenly rising within him as he stared at the woman before him.

"Oh, would you give it a rest, I'm fine!" He growled loudly, seeing her press her lips together in frustration, though she said nothing. Although, he didn't exactly give her a chance as he continued to raise his voice at her. "What are you saying, that you think me reckless?! Do you think I did all those things for the fun of it? If Thorin and I hadn't come to your aid with the wargs, you would be dead now! And I thought the same thing in the mountains, so, excuse me for not wanting you to smash face first into a spiky bloody mountainside!"

Arinna had now stood up, as well, opening her mouth to reply but Fili cut over her harshly, taking a few quick steps back toward her as he pointed his finger accusingly in her face.

"And an arrow won't stop me from defending my friends and family," he said, blue eyes sparking furiously. "And neither, I seem to recall, did you back down in the face of danger. If anyone is reckless, it is you, Arinna. You were knocked out during our fight with the trolls, then you get mangled by a warg only a few hours later and -"

Arinna flinched when the dwarf suddenly grasped her chin between his fingers and turned her head slightly, nodding at the scratch on her cheek as he finished. "- you got a face full of goblin. And yet I still see you running into every single next fight. So, don't you tell me to back down. Perhaps I wouldn't have to be so _reckless_ if you could actually protect yourself!"

The druid's eyes narrowed dangerously at him as she jerked her head back, his hand falling from her face. Arinna angrily pushed at Fili's bare chest, making him stumble a step backwards. She stared at the blond dwarf, her chest falling and rising rapidly with deep, furious breaths. Her fists were clenched at her sides, one hand still holding onto the damp cloth that she had been cleaning his face with. Fili was returning her gaze just as angrily, his jaw twitching as he ground his teeth together.

"What on earth is going on down here?" Someone suddenly called from the trees and they both reluctantly turned their heads away from each other, finding Bilbo and Kili standing by the tree line. Bilbo went on, his voice carrying worry and confusion as he looked at them. "We heard raised voices."

"Is everything alright?" Kili added, looking between his brother and the druid with furrowed brows. He had been worried that something might have attacked them but there were only the two of them down here, and so Kili was watching them attentively, trying to make sense of the situation.

It was Arinna who finally spoke, her voice cold as she turned her gaze back toward the blond dwarf. "Yes, everything's fine," she said evenly, her gaze dark as she threw the wet cloth at Fili with some force. It slapped against his naked chest before he caught it with an angry look. "You're quite right, Fili. That cut seems minor, I trust you can take care of it by yourself."

And with that she turned, grabbed her things off the ground and walked away, stalking past Kili and Bilbo back toward the camp without another word. They both looked at each other in confusion, before their gazes fell back on Fili who was still standing rigidly by the stream. The blond dwarf let out a low growl, before he flung the druid's cloth away with such force that it landed in the stream with a loud splash.


	10. The skin-changer

**Chapter 10 to finish off Friday! Thank you very much to amrawo for your review! And to the people who followed and faved, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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The next evening, the company was waiting among the trees at the bottom of a small hill for Bilbo. They had made their way further away from the Carrock during the day and had now sent Bilbo out as a scout to see whether Azog was still on their tail or if it was safe to set up camp once more. None of them really thought that they had lost the orcs and it was crucial that they kept as much distance between themselves and the pack as possible.

Arinna was sat on a tree stump at the back of the group, her fingers nervously tapping the hilt of her sword as she stared at the trees where Bilbo had disappeared a little while ago.

"He'll be perfectly fine," Gandalf spoke from beside her, sensing her unease, and the druid looked up shortly before she returned her gaze to the trees. The wizard spoke confidently, though it did nothing to lessen the worry in the druid's stomach. "The orcs are still a ways off."

"It is not the orcs I am worried about, Gandalf," Arinna answered him quietly, so as not to alert the others, not looking up to see the wizard tilt his head slightly at her words. He had expected her to mention the subject at some point. "You know that these are his lands. He'll not take kindly to strangers."

"Perhaps not," Gandalf answered, knowing very well whom the druid was referring to. "But we must try our luck with him in the morning anyway. Our provisions are low and we will not be able to outrun the orcs on open land for much longer."

Arinna just inclined her head, knowing that the wizard was right. Though she was less convinced that the skin-changer Beorn was sleeping soundly in his house as they spoke and that they were perfectly safe wandering his grounds during the night. The thought didn't make her like the wizard's plan any better. She had travelled close to his lands long ago, remembering the stream that marked the edge. The stream that Fili and her had argued at and which they had crossed that very morning. She knew that Beorn owned and protected these lands, and though she had never met him in person, the stories that were told of him were enough to have her concerned. The druid looked up sharply when the hobbit suddenly appeared among the trees again, walking back into their midst with a wide-eyed expression.

"How close is the pack?" Dwalin asked immediately, before Bilbo had a chance to even catch his breath.

"Too close," the hobbit answered. "A couple of leagues, no more. But that is not the worst of it."

Arinna perked up at Bilbo's words, feeling her heart fill with a dreadful certainty that she already knew what he was speaking of. She shot Gandalf a small look, though the wizard did not return it, his gaze instead trained on Bilbo. The dwarves kept questioning the hobbit before he could explain himself.

"Have the wargs picked up our scent?"

"Not yet, but they will," Bilbo said, before he tried again. "But we have another problem."

"Did they see you?" Gandalf asked worriedly, stepping forward. "They saw you!"

"No!" The hobbit exclaimed with an exasperated shake of his head. "That's not it."

Gandalf spoke over him before he could say what he thought the actual problem was. Arinna could see his frustration rise along with her own. She had stood up by now, taking a few steps closer to the rest of the group. "What did I tell you?" Gandalf was saying. "Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

Arinna shook her head slightly while the dwarves chuckled loudly at Gandalf's words, nodding in appreciation of the little hobbit, who was now looking rather enervated. He called out over the lot of them, desperately voicing his sighting.

"Will you listen! Will you just listen to me?! I'm trying to tell you that there is something else out there."

The druid was the first one to speak as the dwarves just looked at Bilbo with a mixture of worry and confusion. "What form did it take, Bilbo?" She asked quietly, looking at him seriously when his eyes fell on her. She raised her eyebrows. "Like a bear?"

"Ye… Yes," the hobbit stuttered, frowning at the lack of surprise on her face. Arinna let out a deep breath, looking up at Gandalf again whose expression had suddenly darkened. "Yes, but bigger. Much bigger."

"I told you this would happen, Gandalf."

The dwarves looked up at the wizard now, some accusingly, some worriedly. Gandalf furrowed his brows, taking a few steps away from the dwarves as he seemed to think.

"That what would happen? You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked loudly, looking from the wizard to the druid and then to the leader of their company. He gave him a tense look."I say we double back."

"And be run down by a pack of orcs," Thorin finished his idea darkly, shaking his head. "We can't go back."

While the dwarves exchanged concerned looks at the dwarf-king's words, knowing them to be true, Gandalf sighed and spoke again, avoiding Arinna's pointed look as he did.

"There is a house," he said, addressing Thorin directly. "It's not far from here. We might take refuge there."

The dwarf-king raised his eyebrows questioningly at the wizard's words, his gaze shortly flicking toward Arinna who was shaking her head to herself. "Whose house? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither," the druid interjected with a small huff and Gandalf inclined his head at her words, nodding his agreement to Thorin, whose doubtful gaze wandered between them.

"He will help us, or he will kill us," the wizard admitted, causing Thorin's eyebrows to rise in disbelief at the suggestion, when suddenly a loud roar split the night behind them. Gandalf looked in the direction of the dangerously close sound, and then urgently back at Thorin. "I am afraid your choice has just been made for you. Run! Run!"

They took off without any hesitation as the bear roared again, making their way through the trees, across clearings and small streams as fast as they could. They were following Gandalf, expecting that he would lead them to this house he had spoken of. The bear's roar grew louder behind them, when suddenly, other sounds could be heard. The familiar sounds of warg howls echoed through the forest, mingling with the bear's snarls, while the companions hastened along.

Arinna's legs were carrying her almost too quickly as she ran down a hill behind the others, and she almost tripped over her own feet, barely managing to catch herself before she fell. She saw the same thing happen to Bombur only a little distance ahead of her, though the dwarf had more trouble not to lose balance due to his enormous weight. He suddenly slowed considerably, trying to get his footing again and Arinna quickly reached out her hand and caught the front of his coat as she sped past him, dragging the fat dwarf behind her.

"Come on, Bombur! No time to stop" She yelled as they exited the forest together, suddenly coming onto a plain in the middle of which they could see a large house, surrounded by a giant hedge. Another ear-splitting roar sounded behind them and Arinna could feel Bombur's pace fasten considerably, fear driving him on as it did her.

They reached the house just when the dwarves before them managed to lift the heavy bolt that kept the front door shut, pushing it open and scrambling inside. Bombur and Arinna made their way inside quickly, and the druid shot a look over her shoulder to see the bear now out in the open, racing toward them. It was the biggest bear she had ever seen, a mass of black fur and pure fury.

"Close the door!" Thorin yelled and the dwarves hurried to follow his order, pushing at the heavy door, when the bear suddenly reached them and slammed against the entrance with full force, its head sticking in the open gap and snapping at the dwarves. The beast's loud roars filled the house as the companions threw themselves against the door with their whole weight, finally managing to close it with one final heave. They bolted it shut from inside, looking on and listening in shock, fear and exhaustion, as the bear growled and pounded its paws against the wood from the outside. It took a few long moments before the beast finally gave up and seemed to retreat.

"What… is that?" Asked Ori breathlessly, listening to the bear's heavy steps slowly move away from the house.

"That is our host," answered Gandalf with a sigh, smiling slightly now as the companions turned to him, bewildered. He gave them a small nod. "His name is Beorn. He is a skin-changer."

"A skin-changer?" Bilbo repeated, utterly confused and with his small sword held limply in his hand. He was not sure what he had thought it would do against a huge beast such as this. "Like a furrier?"

Gandalf huffed. "No, Bilbo, nothing like a furrier! And I don't suggest you let him hear such a thing. Sometimes he is a huge black bear. Sometimes he is a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man… the man can be reasoned with."

"You think you can reason with him? Convince him to let us stay?" Fili asked, the doubt clear in his voice. He was stood near the wizard, still breathing heavily from the effort of getting the door shut.

"I shall try," Gandalf muttered, sending the young prince a short look. He cleared his throat. "However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

The blond dwarf heard someone snort quietly beside him at the wizard's words and turned his head to see Arinna standing there. She caught his gaze as he looked at her, sending him a pointed look that clearly said that she could empathise with Beorn on that particular point. Fili's eyes narrowed before he turned away from her, his gaze turning to Gandalf as the wizard continued.

"Alright now… Get some sleep, all of you. We'll be safe here tonight."

The company fanned out further into the house, trying to find a comfortable place to settle down for the night. Arinna walked slowly along the large furniture that adorned Beorn's place, through the living room and into the kitchen, taking in her surroundings. Beorn's house was furnished with simple things, yet it felt warm and cosy. She turned through another door to the right and found an attached stable, where a few ponies and goats were sleeping peacefully and great piles of hay were gathered. The druid decided on one of the free piles, taking off her cloak and putting it down on it before she sat down and made herself comfortable. It wasn't long until other members of the company had found the place, as well, deciding that hay would be better to sleep on than the wooden floor of the rest of the house.

"Mind if I join you?" Bofur asked as he came to a halt in front of her and Arinna quickly shook her head, seeing that the rest of the hay piles had by now been occupied. "Thanks very much, lass."

Bofur set down his things, letting himself plop down into the hay beside her. He wriggled around for a moment, getting into a more comfortable position while Arinna lay down herself, letting out a deep sigh as she stared at the ceiling. She felt exhausted but her mind was still too active for her to drift off to sleep immediately.

"Lass," Bofur suddenly whispered and the druid turned her head, looking at the dwarf questioningly through the darkness. He sent her a kind smile, adjusting the position of his hat as he lay there. He continued quietly, making sure that she was the only one who heard. "Is everything alright with you? I hope you don't mind me asking, but I've noticed you've hardly spoken a word to anybody since yesterday… and your smile seems to have disappeared entirely."

Arinna stared at the dwarf for a moment, unsure of what to say. She hadn't thought that her bad mood would be so obvious, or indeed, that any of the dwarves would care to ask her about it. They were in enough trouble as it was, she didn't think that any of them would have even noticed her current state of mind or deemed it relevant. But she could see that Bofur meant well and that he did care. He truly wanted to know what affected her and if he could help her in any way.

"Yes, Bofur, I'm alright," she sighed, whispering her answer back at him. He looked at her attentively, causing her to continue hesitantly. "It's just… Fili. We're currently not seeing eye to eye. But I'm sure it'll pass. No need to worry yourself over me, Bofur."

Bofur gave a tiny nod, studying her face in the darkness, knowing that she had just added the last bit because she didn't want to talk about it. But he could tell that whatever it was that she was not seeing eye to eye with Fili on was bothering her quite a bit. And indeed, now that he thought about it, the blond prince had been in a foul mood for the past day, as well. Bofur had seen him talk to Kili a few times but he hadn't exchanged a lot of words with any of the rest of them. If Bofur hadn't known better, he'd have thought the two of them had had a lovers' spat. He paused slightly at the thought, his eyes taking in Arinna's expression again.

"Well, if you say so," he finally agreed nevertheless, smiling amiably at her again, as he kept his thoughts to himself. He did not want to pester her. "Sleep well, Arinna."

She gave him a small smile in return, though Bofur noticed that it did not reach her eyes, before she turned away and closed her eyes with a sigh. "Sleep well, Bofur."

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Fili was shaken awake the next morning by his brother, waking from a strange dream with a start. Fili struggled to remember it at all, the images escaping him as he tried to keep hold of them. He remembered there being a large throne, standing deserted in a dark hall. He looked up at Kili with a sigh, who was nudging him with a mixture of excitement and worry on his face.

"What is it?"

"The skin-changer is here," the brunet said, nodding vaguely to the side. Fili assumed that he meant outside of the house. "Gandalf has called us all to the kitchen. He wants a word before he goes to talk to him."

The blond dwarf nodded slowly as he got up, brushing some stray straws of hay off his clothes. His gaze wandered over the companions gathered in the stable, his gaze almost immediately falling on the druid lying still asleep with her head leaning lightly against Bofur's shoulder, while the dwarf was snoring rather loudly beside her, his hat pulled down over his face. Fili didn't have time to really register the small sting he felt somewhere inside him at the sight before Nori walked over to them and kicked Bofur in the leg, succeeding in waking both of them up as Bofur jerked awake and Arinna rose from her slumber at his sudden movements at the same time.

Fili turned away then, following his little brother to the kitchen, where the rest of the company was already gathered around Gandalf. The door to the outside stood open and the blond dwarf could hear the sounds of someone chopping wood outside. He didn't look up when Arinna and Bofur and the rest of the company entered the kitchen, instead listening attentively as Gandalf explained to them how they should approach Beorn. That he was easily spooked and possibly aggressive when taken by surprise, and so the wizard would go out first with Bilbo to talk to him. The dwarves and druid were to wait for his signal before they came out and once they did, they should only come out in pairs. Except for Bombur, who counted as two.

They waited impatiently in the kitchen after the wizard had gone out, trying to hear what Gandalf and Beorn were saying to each other, relying on Bofur, who was peeking out the kitchen window, to tell them when Gandalf gave the first sign. He soon did, much sooner than Fili expected, but Dwalin and Balin walked out anyway, announcing themselves to the skin-changer cheerfully. He could hear Beorn's voice rise outside, clearly not too happy to see the two dwarves in his garden. But the line was moving now as Bofur gave another wave and Oin and Gloin walked out next, causing the skin-changer's voice to grow even louder.

Fili joined the others outside a few moments later with Kili by his side, eyes widening as he saw the skin-changer for the first time. He was taller than any man he'd ever seen, taller even than Gandalf, hairy, muscular and angry-looking. He quickly nudged Kili in the side, reminding his brother to bow with him as the younger dwarf just stared in amazement.

"Ah, Fili and Kili," Gandalf stuttered, trying and failing to keep hold of the situation. "I'd quite forgotten."

It was then that the rest of the company suddenly stumbled outside all at once, Bofur almost tripping and falling down the set of stairs that led to the kitchen.

"And have you forgotten all of these dwarves, as well?" The skin-changer growled angrily, staring daggers at the wizard who cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Oh no, these are Nori, Bofur, Bifur and Bombur," Gandalf introduced as he shot a glance over his shoulder, looking back at Beorn with a sheepish smile. He did not seem as though he was going to attack them but he certainly wasn't happy at the company invading his house and backyard.

"Is that it then? Or are there more dwarves hiding in my halls?" The skin-changer asked gruffly, looking up sharply as he saw another two figures emerge from his kitchen. The first was a small woman with a mane of black hair and bright green eyes, whom he did not think to be a dwarf, and the second was yet another dwarf still.

"Arinna and Thorin," Gandalf introduced quickly, nodding at him. "The last of our company."

"A wizard, a Halfling, thirteen dwarves and a woman," Beorn growled after a moment's consideration, looking over the group darkly before he continued, finally lowering the axe that he had been chopping wood with. "Sounds like either the start of a bad joke or that of an interesting story. Which is it, Gandalf the Grey?"

"Oh, the latter," the wizard smiled and Beorn nodded for them to follow him back into the house. "Yes, definitely the latter."

A little while later, Fili found himself sitting at Beorn's massive kitchen table, while the skin-changer was handing out food and drink to them, which they took gratefully. Fili just listened as Gandalf retold the story of what they had been through so far to Beorn, who nodded along silently, but with interest in his eyes, every now and again. When the wizard had ended, a long silence hung over the room before Beorn's gaze settled on Thorin. He said nothing for a long time, the company slowly growing uncertain, until he finally spoke.

"I do not like dwarves," he said darkly, looking at the dwarf-king intently. "They're greedy and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."

Thorin didn't reply, and Beorn didn't seem to expect him to, his gaze drifting from him to another member of the company. He looked at Bilbo for a long time, who swallowed tightly beneath his dark gaze, then at Arinna and finally back at Gandalf.

"Yet I would not expect a group of dwarves to seek the council of others such as yourselves," he continued in a low rumble, beginning to nod slowly. "Gentle folk. Which means that, perhaps, Thorin Oakenshield, is not as ignorant as the rest of his kin. Do not take this to mean that I like you or that I care to have you in my home… I do not like dwarves, but orcs I hate more. So, I will help you. You are welcome to stay for a few days, to regain your strength and replenish your supplies. The orcs will not dare attack my lands. I will give you some of my ponies for your journey to Mirkwood once you are ready to leave."

Thorin felt a weight lift from his shoulders as he inclined his head in thanks, the skin-changer's harsh words still echoing in his mind, though he did not reply to any of them. Even if the man did not like him or his kin, it was enough for Thorin that he was agreeing to help them.

"We are in your debt," the dwarf-king said, looking up at the large man sincerely. But Beorn just let out a grunt, slamming his mug of milk on the table.

"I do not need anything from you," growled the skin-changer dismissively, causing the dwarf to incline his head again. "Nor do I want anything."

"Nevertheless, you have my word," Thorin spoke, as honour demanded of him, looking at the man before him with determination. "Should you ever want or need repayment for your help in any way, I will be at your service."

The two stared at each other for a long moment before Beorn gave a short nod, accepting the dwarf's words.


	11. Friendly advice

**One more chapter to finish off the week, and before I go off on holiday! I hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

During their stay at Beorn's house, Arinna discovered some strange but fascinating things about the skin-changer's way of living. He seemed to be entirely self-sufficient. There were many animals living on his lands, not just ponies and goats but also many dogs, sheep, and the air buzzed with the sound of huge bumblebees, larger than any the druid had ever seen. She had found that she felt rather at peace here, enveloped in the strange calm and safety that hung over Beorn's house.

Arinna spent the days with different members of the company, trying to make her still rather foul mood less obvious, as she discussed different topics with Balin in the evenings, or listened to one of Bofur's many stories. Though she mainly found herself exploring the vast garden with Bilbo. The hobbit felt as comfortable here as she did, the peaceful green space filling him with a sense of home. He had even collected an acorn, which he intended to take home with him and plant in his own garden after the journey was over. It was only at night that the peaceful spell broke, for Beorn had warned them not to venture outside after nightfall. This was the time that he roamed the borders of his lands in the form of the great black bear, and he could not guarantee their safety if he came across them.

At the moment, the druid was sat comfortably enjoying the sun on Beorn's porch steps, leaning against the bannister beside her while she was concentrating on the pages of a book on herbs that she had borrowed from the skin-changer's living room. It was as large as one would expect for a man of his size, covering her entire lap as she turned the pages carefully. Arinna looked up when she felt someone sitting down beside her, coming face to face with Kili.

"Good book?" The dwarf asked with a friendly smile and Arinna nodded slightly, her eyebrows drawing together as she looked at him. She could tell that he was not here to talk about books and Kili confirmed her thoughts when he continued, trying to sound nonchalant. "So, how much longer will it be before you decide to talk to my brother again?"

The druid sighed quietly and carefully closed her book. Her gaze shortly drifted toward the spot where some of the dwarves were training, along with Bilbo, a little distance away on the grass. She could not see the blond dwarf among them. It had been four days now since she had last spoken a word to Fili, and he to her, the last time having been their fight by the stream.

"I would give it a while," she simply said with a pointed look toward the brunet dwarf.

"I'm only asking. You know it's not my way to butt into matters that are none of my business," Kili continued, halting shortly at the doubtful look the druid shot him and tilting his head in return. "Well, fine, perhaps that's precisely my way. My point is, that I am asking you because I can see that this… silence between the two of you bothers both you and my brother. And I really don't understand what happened there. You two got along wonderfully until a few days ago."

Arinna looked at Kili silently for a long time, the young dwarf merely returning her gaze questioningly before she finally sighed and began telling him in short words what their fight had been about, knowing that Kili would not back down before he got an answer. He was, annoyingly, much like his older brother that way. The brunet dwarf listened carefully as she spoke, his brows furrowing as he slowly began to understand. He was looking at her seriously when she finished her story with a small shrug, trying to signal that it wasn't that important.

"Let me tell you something about my brother, Arinna," Kili then said thoughtfully, smiling slightly at the druid. "Now, don't tell him I said this, but the two things I admire most about Fili are his honour and his bravery. He's always looked out for other people, and he's always stood up for those he thinks need help. Whether it be for me when we were but dwarflings in the Ered Luin, and he had to get me out of all the trouble that I kept getting myself into, or whether it be his friends, family or even complete strangers. Now, you might think that's reckless, and perhaps you're right, but it is an essential part of who he is. He can't change it. You'll never see Fili back down from a fight, even if he's injured, even if he stands no chance of winning, if it concerns the people he… he cares about."

"I understand that," Arinna sighed, inclining her head at the dwarf's words while Kili just kept smiling kindly at her. "Really, Kili, I do. And I realise that perhaps I was being a little irrational, it's just that…"

"You worry about him," the dwarf finished for her when she trailed off, nodding. "I understand. I do, too. And the same goes for Fili, himself. He worries about me all the time, about you, no doubt, about the others. It's perfectly normal considering the nature of our quest. But I don't think that we should let ourselves be held back by that fear. I think the best and perhaps only thing to do is to just be brave and to look out for one another as best we can."

"But I do not want him to risk his life, especially if it is for me," Arinna answered in a small murmur. "If he thinks I cannot protect myself, then it is not up to him to do so."

"Have you not risked your life for him much the same way?" Kili asked her, shaking his head slightly. "Arinna, my brother can be a stubborn idiot. He says things in anger that he does not mean and his pride will keep him from admitting it for a little while. I think it might be a family trait, actually."

Kili grinned at the small snort that escaped the druid at his words, before he continued. "He knows very well that you're capable, we all do. But it won't change the fact that he will always come to your aid if he can. It's just who he is."

The druid looked up at Kili, frowning slightly at the soft look that was playing on his face. She could not tell what the dwarf was thinking as he gave her a gentle smile and she said nothing for a few long moments, considering Kili's words. She knew that he was right, and that she couldn't really expect Fili, or any of them, to back down from a fight in the face of life or death. She wouldn't either, much as the blond dwarf had pointed out a few days ago and Kili had reminded her just now. She knew that she was being unreasonable, but she had just been so angry with him, Arinna thought tiredly. She had let her feelings take over, perhaps taking his words too much to heart when he had said that she couldn't protect herself.

"Maybe you're right, Kili," she finally muttered, shaking her head slightly. She looked up at him then, a small smile playing on her lips as she gave his shoulder a friendly nudge. Kili returned her smile brightly. "I'll try and attempt reconciliation with your brother."

"I'm happy to hear it, Arinna. And you won't tell him…" Kili reminded her with a playful wiggle of his finger. Arinna laughed.

"And I won't tell him about all the nice things you say about him behind his back. Though perhaps I'll mention the part about him being a stubborn idiot."

She chuckled at the hearty laugh that escaped the brunet dwarf at her words, smiling as he slung one arm over her shoulder, hugging her to his side.

* * *

Meanwhile, Fili had found himself a practice spot far away from the others. He was in a foul mood, had been for the past four days, and just wanted to be by himself. He did not have the nerve for the happy chatter and talk of the others at the moment and so he was currently stood under the cover of a few large oak trees, practicing his knife throws. It wasn't as though he much needed the practice, for every throw he made hit its mark with deadly force, it was more so that he had something to do with his hands, an outlet for his growing frustration.

He had spent the past four days trying not to think about the druid and their fight, which had resulted in him barely being able to think about anything else. He was still angry that she had called him reckless, when all he did had been to try to stay alive and protect his friends and family. And her. Did she expect him to stand by and watch her get hurt? Fili still remembered the feeling of her unconscious, bleeding body in his arms as he had carried her into Rivendell. He didn't think he could bear a repeat of that. He let out a frustrated growl at the thought, throwing another dagger at the tree before him.

"So," a voice sounded from behind him suddenly, making the blond dwarf jump slightly as he whirled around. Bofur was waving at him merrily, leaning against a nearby tree. Fili wondered for a moment how long he had been standing there already. "I hear you and Arinna have been arguing."

Fili drew his brows together, surprised at his friend's unexpected and blunt choice of topic. He turned and walked up to his practice target, proceeding to pull out three knives from the tree. "Who told you?" He asked.

"She did," Bofur answered matter-of-factly, causing Fili's hand to halt on the hilt of the last dagger for a few seconds before he ripped it out forcefully. Of course, she was talking to Bofur. Apparently, she was talking to anyone as long as it wasn't him. "Care to talk about it?"

"No."

Bofur ignored Fili's reply thoroughly, continuing to talk over the blond dwarf as he stalked back toward him. "Well, the way I see it, there's only two things for it. You can either not talk to each other until we reach Erebor, which, frankly, will be exhausting for all of us, or one of you will have to apologise to the other about whatever it is that has both your knickers in a twist."

"I'm not going to apologise for telling her the truth," Fili grumbled angrily, and Bofur looked at him curiously, tilting his head in question. "If she can't handle it, then she shouldn't be on this journey."

"You don't mean that," Bofur said.

"I do mean it," stated the young prince with a huff. Fili halted in his words for a moment, before he suddenly couldn't stop himself. He continued to tell Bofur a short and swift version of what had transpired between himself and the druid a few days ago, feeling himself grow angry again as the fight rose afresh before his inner eye. Bofur gave him a pointed look when he had finished, both of them now sitting down in the grass opposite each other, while Fili was playing mindlessly with one of his knives.

"Well, it sounds to me," the hatted dwarf spoke slowly, trying to choose his words carefully while he was confronted with Fili's dark gaze. "As though you're both coming from the same place."

Fili just frowned and Bofur continued, refraining from rolling his eyes at the young prince. "You're fighting about who is more reckless, like the stubborn fools you are. But you're both just worried for each other, Fili. Which is perfectly understandable. Arinna's worried that if you keep risking your life, perhaps the next time you get shot by an arrow, it won't just be your shoulder, and she won't be able to help you. And you're worried that the next time we're faced with danger, she might not make it through."

Bofur looked at the dwarf before him, who said nothing, as he continued. "I don't see why that should be a bad thing, though. Perhaps Arinna lacks some of your experience, or isn't as skilled with her weapons as some of the others, who have a hundred years' worth of advance on her. But she's proven herself a capable fighter. And you know that, of course, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself right now, much less to her."

"She's been lucky so far," Fili said but Bofur shook his head.

"Luck may be part of it, but she knows how to use her sword. And her bow. And her fists, for that matter."

"So, you're saying I should just… let her run to her death the next time," Fili retorted with a raised eyebrow as he looked at Bofur doubtfully.

"Don't be thick, Fili," the hatted dwarf scoffed, continuing before Fili had a chance to defend himself. "You know what I mean. I'm saying that neither of you will change your ways, so you might as well get over yourself. But if it would ease your mind, you can always help her to improve her skills, like you did with the dagger. You know, instead of telling her that they are useless."

Fili inclined his head, letting out a low breath. Perhaps Bofur was right and he should just try and make up with the druid. He knew that he had been too harsh with her and that he had said some things that he did not truly mean. He knew that Arinna could protect herself, he had seen it with his own eyes. And yet that didn't make him feel any better at the thought of her rushing into another fight. All the training in the world probably wouldn't make him feel better about it, he thought. But he also knew that he couldn't avoid her running into danger. Fili didn't know what the rest of their journey would bring but he was sure that they hadn't yet seen the last of Azog and his troop.

"Fili?"

"I would just much rather know her safe," the blond dwarf sighed finally, looking up at Bofur who was nodding his understanding, though there was a strange look playing on his face as he listened. "I would have had her stay in Rivendell, with the Elves even, if it meant that she was kept from any more harm."

"Understandable," Bofur said kindly. "But she's not the kind of woman to be left behind or hide herself away."

Fili couldn't help but smile wryly. "No, indeed she's not," he agreed quietly, lost in his own thoughts for a moment as his gaze rested on the grass beneath his feet, and not noticing the look that Bofur shot him. The blond dwarf jerked out of his thoughts at Bofur clearing his throat and he looked back up, nodding slowly.

"Aye," he said with another deep sigh, making up his mind. "You're probably right. Yes, you're right. I'll talk to her. Thank you, Bofur."

"My pleasure, lad," Bofur smiled as he got up slowly, brushing his hands down his legs to get rid of some stray blades of grass. "And if ye wouldn't mind, I would do it tonight. Because otherwise I might still loose my coin to your brother."

Bofur grinned as Fili raised one disgruntled eyebrow at him. He should have known that these two were up to something, though it did not diminish the truth of Bofur's advice.

* * *

While Fili did intend to talk to the druid at the next possible opportunity, he seemed to keep missing her all day. Indeed, he didn't actually see her at all until that evening, when the company was sat around the fireplace in Beorn's house. They had finished dinner a little while ago and were now discussing their plans, for they had agreed that they would leave the next day.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Beorn was asking in a deep rumble and Thorin nodded in reply.

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes," he agreed. The skin-changer raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You are running out of time," he concluded and Thorin nodded again, though it was this time Gandalf that answered the large man.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," the wizard said. "We'll make for the road tomorrow morning. If your offer of lending us some of your ponies still stands."

Beorn nodded slowly. "It does. But the path through Mirkwood is a perilous one. A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the Elven Road," Gandalf explained, as the skin-changers words echoed in his thoughts. "That path is still safe."

"Safe?" The skin-changer huffed, slightly shaking his head at the wizard. "The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. They will stop you if they find you venturing into their realm."

"I don't doubt it," Thorin said darkly. "I know their deceitful nature. But it matters not. The orcs will outrun us on the open road. We have no choice but to go through the forest if we are to reach the mountain in time."

Beorn nodded seriously, knowing that the dwarf was right. While the skin-changer continued discussing quietly with the wizard and Thorin, the others began small conversations between themselves, some already moving off to pack their things for the morning. Fili was sat listening to Nori talk about the journey ahead with half an ear, his attention elsewhere as his eyes followed Arinna. The druid had stood and made her way to the stable where they had slept for the past few days, no doubt to pack up her few belongings.

"Don't you think so?"

Fili blinked and looked over at Nori upon his question, not knowing what he had just been asked his opinion on. The red-haired dwarf shot him a doubtful look. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Aye," Fili said quickly, though he saw that Nori could tell he was lying. He cleared his throat quickly, excusing himself as he got up, intending to find Arinna and have a word with her. "I'll see you later, Nori."

While his companion just nodded, Fili turned away and followed after the druid. He had made it halfway through the living room, when he heard his uncle's voice behind him. He turned back around with a low sigh and an asking look on his face.

"Fili," Thorin waved him over quietly but with authority. He was sitting with Dwalin, Balin and Kili now, who were all looking over at the blond dwarf as well. "Come, we have a few things still to discuss for the journey ahead."

Fili opened his mouth to protest, to ask if it couldn't wait, or if perhaps this was a discussion that he did not need to be included in, but he said nothing at the sight of the expectant look on his uncle's face. He knew the answer he would get, and so he shot one last look toward the door where the druid had disappeared, before he slowly made his way over to the small group. He sat down beside his brother, not noticing the knowing look Kili gave him. Instead, his gaze was set on Thorin, as the dwarf-king spoke of the necessary provisions they'd have to take to last them through their time in the forest. The blond dwarf listened as attentively as he could, while his thoughts kept circling back to Arinna, though he did not get another chance that evening to speak with her at all.

She came back eventually after having packed up her things, while he was still discussing things with his uncle, and sat down at the fire for a little while. Fili glanced over from time to time to see her talking quietly with Bilbo and Ori, noticing how the firelight made small shadows dance on her face and the warm light reflected in her emerald eyes as she listened attentively to her companions. She went to bed not long after, and when Fili finally made it to the stable later on, he saw her already asleep, lying curled up against the hay.


	12. Into the forest

**I'm back from holidays with a longer chapter for you guys. Thanks to Lady-Finwe and purple-pygmy-puff16 for your reviews, I'm so happy you're enjoying this story! I'd love to read from you again.**

* * *

When morning came, Fili was more determined than ever to put things right with Arinna, looking for the right moment between the hustle and bustle of the company getting ready for departure and not finding it. The sun had barely risen as they packed the provisions and supplies that Beorn provided, saddling the ponies that he was lending them.

"There are only thirteen," Thorin was saying as he held one of the black and white ponies by the reins. Beorn gave a short nod.

"Thirteen of my fastest ponies and a horse for the wizard are all that I can spare, Master Dwarf," the skin-changer said, his gruff tone of voice shutting down any protest that Thorin might have had. The dwarf-king, grateful for any help they were getting, merely inclined his head in acceptance and thanks before he looked around, trying to decide who would have to share a pony.

"Bilbo, Arinna," he called, finding the two of them standing close together. They both looked up at him upon hearing his voice. "You're the lightest. You'll ride together with someone else. Bilbo, go with Bofur, and Arinna -"

"She can ride with me," he suddenly heard someone say and looked up to find Fili, already mounted on a pony, nodding his head almost hastily. The dwarf-king's brows furrowed slightly at his nephew's quick offer, though he did not have time to unpack his thoughts on it at that moment. Thorin had noticed of course that the two of them had spent much less time together recently, apparently having stopped their training in the evenings altogether. Their combined foul moods had been almost impossible to ignore for any of the companions. Perhaps they had finally settled their differences, whatever they might have been, Thorin thought, and was glad for it. He could not use his companions fighting among themselves. He finally gave Fili a curt nod, before he mounted his own steed.

Arinna looked up at the blond dwarf in surprise as he rode up beside her, holding out his hand for her to get up onto the pony's back. Of all people, she would not have counted on him volunteering to have her ride with him. She hadn't gotten around to talking to him yet, and so she didn't think he would be much in the mood to be in her company. But she slowly took his outstretched hand anyway and he heaved her up behind him with little effort. The druid's hands automatically grabbed hold of the sides of Fili's coat to steady herself as the pony began trot after the others, the company riding away from Beorn and the safety of his place.

Fili and Arinna rode silently for a long time, while the others chatted on cheerfully around them. Both of them were thinking and wanting to say something to the other but not finding the right words, until they suddenly both spoke at the same time.

"Fili -"

"Listen -"

They both stopped in surprise at the sound of the other's voice and Arinna took a small breath, thinking about what to say for a moment. Fili continued before she had managed to gather her thoughts.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you the other day," the blond dwarf said quietly, as he slowed the pace of their pony slightly, not particularly wanting to alert the others to their conversation as they fell to the end of the group. Arinna could do nothing but silently stare at his back as he spoke. "I didn't mean what I said about you not being able to protect yourself. I know you can take care of yourself, in a battle or otherwise, and it's something I find very admirable about you. It's just that… well, it's just that sometimes I wish you wouldn't have to. I want you to be safe and you can't be while you're on this journey with us. But that's something that I cannot change and I certainly wouldn't want to not have you around. And as for what you said… I do appreciate you looking out for me but I will not stand down from a fight, no matter if -"

"I know, Fili," the druid interrupted him softly and the dwarf's eyebrows rose in surprise at her unexpectedly amicable tone. He heard her sigh behind him as he steered the pony down a hill, feeling her adjust her position behind him slightly. She took a few moments to find the right words. "That is also something that neither you nor I can change. It was unfair of me to expect you to back down when the people around you were in danger. I would have done the same thing as you. In fact, I did do the same thing as you. It was wrong to call you reckless for it. It's just that I don't want you getting hurt because you're trying to protect me… I was worried, is all. I'm sorry."

She heard Fili hum quietly, the sound vibrating through his torso as he accepted her words with a small nod. The druid smiled, happy that they had been able to resolve their issues so easily after the days of stubborn silence. Though she couldn't help but feel slightly foolish that they hadn't tried to reconcile sooner and that it had taken Kili's push to get her to do so. She had missed the easy conversation she and Fili usually had, the way he managed to make her smile even when her mind was occupied otherwise. Even his sometimes smug grin had been something she'd missed, Arinna thought with a small shake of her head, while she unconsciously wrapped her arms tighter around the dwarf's middle.

"Forgive and forget?" She asked quietly, and Fili couldn't help his own smile when he felt her hold tighten around his stomach, her hands moving from his sides to his front and linking together over his coat as she held on to him. He felt her drop her chin on his shoulder as she gave him a sideways look and he let go of the reins with one hand for a moment, putting it over her smaller one and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"There is nothing to forgive," he answered her in a low murmur, his thumb brushing over the soft skin of her hand for a second, before he let go and grabbed hold of the reins once more, kicking his heels slightly into the pony's sides to catch up with the rest of the company, relief filling him at the resolution of their argument. He did not think that he could have taken much more of the silence between them.

The journey to Mirkwood was a little under a day's ride and as they travelled with speed, they reached the forest just as the sun was slowly beginning to set that evening. Fili slowed the pony to a stop as they approached the looming, gloomy-looking trees that marked the edge of what had once been known as the Greenwood. Arinna dismounted quickly behind him and Fili followed her lead, watching for a few moments as she made her way toward an ancient archway that led into the forest. He stayed behind to untie their packs from the pony's saddle, his gaze shortly set on the form of the tall wizard as he made his way over to the druid, before he concentrated on his task at hand.

"The Elven Gate," Gandalf announced, coming to stand next to Arinna as he looked down the path that led into the forest. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood. Set the ponies loose! Let them return to their master."

Arinna looked up at the wizard while the dwarves did as they were told behind them. She could feel that something was amiss, noticing the distant look in Gandalf's eyes. She turned her gaze back to the trees. "This forest feels sick, Gandalf, as if a disease lies upon it."

The wizard gave a small nod, acknowledging her words, though he remained silent. Arinna sighed, her knowing gaze drifting toward the grey wizard. "You won't be coming with us, will you?" She asked quietly and now Gandalf's eyes turned to her.

"No," he sighed in reply, shaking his head slightly as he gave her a soft smile. "No, I must go South. It is the news that Radagast has brought me, and something that Beorn has said. There are questions occupying my thoughts that need answers. And unfortunately, it cannot wait."

Arinna inclined her head, accepting his words silently. She knew that no unimportant matter could have drawn Gandalf away from them at this point in their quest, so she did not try to argue, though concern still filled her heart at the prospect of continuing on without him.

"Leave my horse! I need it," the wizard called to the dwarves then, who sent him confused looks, before he turned back to the druid beside him. Arinna was looking up at him with worried eyes, and Gandalf reached out to pat her shoulder lightly. "Do not fret, my dear Arinna. We will see each other again before this journey is over. You are right, this is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your minds and lead you astray. You must make sure that nobody leaves the path, Arinna."

"How can I make sure of that?" The druid asked doubtfully, feeling her concern rise at the wizard's words. "How can you be sure that I will not also be led astray?"

"You have magic within you," Gandalf answered kindly, smiling with encouragement. "And are therefore less susceptible to its influence. The dwarves are not, and neither is Bilbo. This forest holds many dangers for them, though you should not underestimate it. Magic may give you some protection, but there are other things lurking behind these trees. There is also a river in the woods that carries a dark enchantment. They mustn't touch the water, Arinna. Under no circumstance."

He waited until the druid gave him a small nod, taking in his words silently and mulling them over in her head, before he turned away from her and walked to his horse, calling out to the dwarves as he prepared to ride off. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me. You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again!"

The company watched as the wizard turned his horse around and rode away swiftly, his retreating form calling out to them one last time. "No matter what may come, STAY ON THE PATH!"

The dwarves stood dumbly for a few moments after the wizard's departure, until Thorin called for them to hurry up and gather their things. They quickly set the ponies on their way back to Beorn, before they shouldered their packs and marched after the dwarf-king, following him into the trees.

"So, do you think he wants us to stay on the path, or no?" Fili heard Kili mutter beside him and couldn't help but laugh quietly at his brother's sarcastic tone. The brunet dwarf shot him a cheeky look before they got in line with the rest of the company, who were now trailing slowly through the Elven Gate deeper into the forest.

* * *

Fili was surprised at how fast the light seemed to vanish around them after they had entered Mirkwood. Though it had already been evening when they had stepped into the forest, they kept going for a fairly long while still, while some light still flickered through the tree tops above them. But soon they were forced to stop, unable to see the Elven path in the growing darkness. They made camp in a smaller circle than usual, careful to stay as close to the path as possible. However, they were still somewhat cheerful when Oin and Gloin lit a small fire for supper but it soon had to be put out, as masses of large moths and critters were drawn to the flame. Instead of a proper supper, they ate bread and other things that didn't need cooking in the dark.

As the days continued in the same way and the company's mood dropped, Fili felt his head grow heavier with every day that passed and that led them further into the depths of the forest. He soon struggled to know what time of day it was and after a while, he didn't even actually remember how many days had passed since they had first entered Mirkwood. They kept following the Elven road as it wound its way through the trees, Arinna now often at the head of the group together with Dwalin and Thorin as she tracked the path. She somehow seemed to be least affected by the strange lull of the forest. The dwarves, on the other hand, grew more troubled with every passing day, strange thoughts entering their minds and numbing their senses.

After a while, Fili kept thinking he saw eyes in the dark behind the tree line, watching him. And then other times he could have sworn he saw a pale, translucent figure following alongside him from the corner of his eyes, but whenever he spun around to look, there was only darkness staring back at him. He looked around, though no one else seemed to have noticed anything. He tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that crept up his spine as he walked along, stumbling over a root and almost falling, before he managed to catch himself. None of them spoke much as they made their way through the trees, and Fili kept his eyes firmly on the ground for the rest of the day, until Thorin called for camp not long after the same evening, choosing Gloin and himself to keep watch that night.

Again, no fire was lit that night, and it was already long past midnight when Thorin was sitting awake with his back against a tree. His left hand rested on his knee, while the other was wrapped around the hilt of his sword, as it had been every night that he had taken watch since they had entered the forest. He had taken watch duty upon himself more often than usual the past days - or had it been weeks? - for he barely slept anyway. Yellow eyes kept staring at the company from the darkness, lurking, biding their time. Thorin knew that whatever animals were watching them in the dark were only waiting for an opportunity to jump on them at an inattentive moment.

He heard something rustle the leaves to his left, his hand gripping his sword tighter as he swivelled his head around at the sound. He was already poised to strike when he realised that its origin had been a member of his company and not one of the mysterious creatures. Thorin tried to squint through the darkness, finding a familiar figure sitting up with a sigh beside him.

"You should be asleep," he murmured, the grip on his sword relaxing.

Arinna looked over at the dwarf-king's low voice, his words a deep rumble that was pleasantly distracting from the strange sounds that came from the darkness around them. "I cannot."

"Aye," Thorin replied unsurprised. "I doubt any of the others are sleeping soundly."

"It's these damned eyes," the druid agreed quietly beside him, feeling a shudder run down her spine. "I do not feel safe in this forest. It is… strange. Wrong, somehow. And so are the creatures that inhabit it. Gandalf warned me about it but it is worse than I imagined."

Thorin couldn't help a small sigh of his own, the truth of her words undeniable. He shot a small glance over to her, seeing her pull her blanket closer around her shoulders in the dark. The nights were already cold, the dwarf-king dreaded to think what it would be like without a fire in the forest with autumn advancing steadily. He cleared his throat. "What has the wizard told you?"

"That the forest is sick," Arinna told him freely, her voice a soft murmur. Thorin listened carefully, slightly annoyed that Gandalf had not deemed it worthy telling himself about these things. "He said that the very air here is heavy with illusion and that it will seek to enter your minds and lead you astray."

"You do not include yourself in this?" The dwarf-king asked curiously, his gaze drifting across the tree line and over his sleeping companions.

Arinna let out a small hum beside him, before she answered. "It does not affect me as much as it does the rest of you."

Thorin let her words sink in for a few moments, his eyes roaming over his company again. He knew the druid's words to be true. He had noticed these past few days how his companions had gotten more muddled in their heads, they were often confused and seemed to see things that weren't there. And so did he, he admitted to himself. His thoughts were now often hazy, and he found it hard to concentrate on the continuation on the Elven path, which is why he was letting the druid lead them more often than not. Thorin had realised already that her head seemed to be clearer than those of the others, that they could rely on her to lead them the right way.

"I am glad you are here, Arinna," he finally said, slightly to his own surprise, for he had not meant to utter his thoughts aloud. But he was there now, and so he might as well be truthful with her, he thought, as he looked over and saw her head turned toward him. "You have proven yourself a loyal companion. Without you, I fear, we would already have lost our way."

There was a momentary silence between them before Thorin continued thoughtfully, his voice low and carrying a quiet curiosity. "I have often wondered why Gandalf suggested you," he admitted. "And at times I wasn't sure that it was the right choice to let you sign that contract. But I see now that the wizard had good reason and I am grateful."

"Thank you, Thorin," Arinna answered softly, slightly taken aback but touched by the dwarf's kind words. "It is my honour travelling with you. Not long now and we will be out of this forest and within reach of the Lonely Mountain."

She heard a heavy breath leave Thorin. His voice was tinged with longing as he spoke. "I do believe we are close to our goal," he said quietly, before his tone changed slightly and became more amicable. "I will rest easier once we reclaim Erebor, together with all its riches and treasures. Tell me, Arinna, what will you do with your fifteenth share?"

The druid hesitated. She had never actually thought about her share in the treasure. It had always been at the very back of her mind, for it had never been the reason she had joined the company at all. "I do not know," she admitted and could almost see the surprise on Thorin's face in the darkness. "To be honest with you, I do not think I have much need of it. I grew up without any riches and never felt any worse for it. But perhaps I would…"

"Perhaps you would what?" Thorin prompted quietly, when she faltered, curious to hear her answer now. He could hear her hesitate and his brows furrowed. "Believe me, lass, whatever you tell me cannot be worse than what most of our companions will do. Bofur wants to open a toy shop, of all things."

Arinna smiled at the thought. "I think that's a lovely idea," she replied and though she couldn't see it, Thorin was smiling slightly as well. "I… I would use it to rebuild my father's home."

"Your home in Evendim was destroyed?"

"No," Arinna shook her head slightly, letting out a deep breath, as she prepared to tell the dwarf-king the truth. Her gaze drifted to the sky, the tree tops still dark above them, though soft light was beginning to filter through the leaves now. Morning was close. "My father's home was destroyed. He did not hail from Evendim, not originally. His family and my mother's family came from a small village near Dale."

There was another long silence between the two of them at her words and the druid drew in a nervous breath, her fingers twiddling with the silver charm on her necklace as she looked over at Thorin to find him staring at her intently. His gaze did not hold any doubt, or betrayal, or other things that she might have expected. Instead he just looked at her calmly, something akin to understanding in his eyes.

"You never said." It wasn't a question. Arinna shook her head with a soft but sad smile, upon which Thorin gave her a small nod. His gaze drifted away, back to the tree line as he continued thoughtfully, his mind filling with unpleasant memories of long ago. His voice was bitter when he spoke next. "I knew of druids living in a colony East of Dale in my time at the mountain. It was said they had the greatest healers in the land among them. I am sorry to hear that your family suffered such a fate."

"They were not the only ones who suffered at the hands of Smaug," Arinna answered gently and Thorin inclined his head ever so slightly. She tried to steer the conversation into a more cheerful direction, not having wanted to bring up bad memories with the dwarf-king. "And yet, they made a new life for themselves and for me somewhere else. A good life. I grew up very happy in the Hills of Evendim, much as I believe your nephews did in the Ered Luin."

Thorin hummed quietly, shooting her a small half-smile. "You are a kind woman," he rumbled, his heart feeling slightly less heavy as the memories of Smaug were chased away by images of his nephews running through the village in the Blue Mountains, two little dwarflings getting into trouble wherever they could, laughing all the way. As the sun slowly shed its dim light over the company, his eyes found his sister's sons sleeping beside each other. He cleared his throat slightly, looking over at Arinna and putting a heavy hand on her shoulder in thanks for her words and their honest conversation, before he got up and called for the companions to wake up.

Arinna sat for another small while, watching as the company rose, before she packed her up her own things. She felt tired but the conversation with the dwarf-king had helped to ease her mind slightly, at least for a while, distracting her from her surroundings. It was Balin who led them along the path that day, and Arinna fell in step behind Bilbo as she followed the group.

They had been walking for a while, when she suddenly tripped over a root on the ground, her foot getting caught in it, and she fell with a pained cry. She heard Bilbo call out for the others to stop, as she scrambled up onto her forearms, her ankle throbbing painfully.

"Are you alright?" She heard the hobbit ask worriedly and she looked up at him with a nod just as she felt a hand wrap itself around her ankle. She twitched with a small jolt of pain running up her leg and spun her head around to see Fili crouching by her side, untangling her limb from the protruding root with care.

The blond prince looked up at her, and she felt him give her ankle a tentative squeeze. His touch was gentle but it made her hiss nevertheless, pain jolting up her leg once more.

"What has happened?" She heard Thorin call from somewhere behind her, the company now gathering around her as best they could on the narrow path. She caught the dwarf-king's eye as he looked down at her with a mixture of worry and slight annoyance. "Are you alright to walk? Have you hurt yourself?"

"I'm fine. Just took a little tumble, nothing more," Arinna was quick to assure him, nodding as he simply levelled her with a hard stare for a second, before he motioned with his head for the others to move on. He made his way through the group, back to the front to lead the way with Balin.

Arinna sat up, looking back at Fili as she still felt his hand on her leg. The dwarf shot her a pointed look. "Are you sure you can walk?" He asked dubiously, though there was no annoyance in his eyes, only concern. "It looks to me like a sprain. You should have Oin look at it."

"I won't be the reason we spend even a day longer in this forest than is strictly necessary. I can walk," she reiterated, though she could tell that he was probably right. She reached out her hand, waving it at the blond dwarf slightly. "Now, help me up, please."

While the company was moving slowly but steadily away, Fili did as he was told, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. Arinna suppressed a yelp as she put pressure on her injured ankle, feeling it protest painfully at the movement. She avoided Fili's gaze as she tried to take a few steps, but her hand involuntarily shot out and grabbed his shoulder to steady herself when another sharp pain shot up her leg.

"Here, I'll carry you," Fili offered, holding out one arm toward her, but the druid shook her head. She did not want him to have to lug her around, when there were already dark rings under his eyes showing her how exhausted he must be. "Arinna -"

"I'm alright, Fili," she assured him, hobbling a few steps further and glancing ahead to where the rest of the company had put a small bit of distance between them already. She sighed deeply, knowing that she would never be able to keep up with their pace like this.

Fili watched as the dark-haired woman hobbled yet another few steps ahead, her right arm shooting out again to find some balance as she tried to put hardly any pressure on her injured leg. He kept watching silently as she came to a halt, and he could almost see her fighting with herself over what to do. He wasn't going to push her though, knowing by now how stubborn she could be, and instead waited until she finally turned around to him with a defeated, almost shy look on her face.

"Would you like my help?" He asked with a soft but knowing smile and waited again until she gave him the tiniest of nods. Only then did he incline his head and stepped up to her, one arm wrapping around her back and the other around her legs as he lifted her up easily. Her arms wrapped around his neck automatically, and he heard her mutter a quiet thanks as he moved to catch up with the others.

"Just for a little while, though," Arinna asserted and Fili shot her a small sideways glance. Though he was tired, he did not mind carrying her. The feeling of her in his arms somehow made his mind feel less hazy than usual, almost as though he had needed something to hold on to, something real, to keep his eyes from straying to the dark shadows behind the trees. She spoke quietly against his neck. "I'm sure I'll be fine in a little while, I don't want you to exhaust yourself."

"How heavy do you think you are?" Fili chuckled quietly, but the druid only rolled her eyes at his jest slightly.

"That's not what I mean," she said. "It doesn't matter if you're carrying me or Bombur, this place drains you. I don't want to add to it."

Fili let out a small breath, his hold on her tightening slightly as he shook his head with a small smile. "Still, I much prefer to have you in my arms than Bombur. If only for a little while."


	13. Swept away

**Chapter 13 for you guys! Thanks a lot to purple-pygmy-puff16 and Little Bucky for your reviews. Let me know how you like this chapter!**

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A few days later, Arinna's ankle was still throbbing slightly but she had been walking by herself again as soon as she was able to. Though Fili kept reminding her that he didn't mind, she only let him carry her for a few hours that first day, until they made camp that night. Oin had wrapped her ankle that evening, and she had been on her own two feet again ever since, although she could always feel Fili walking not far from her, no matter what time of day it was or where in the group she was walking, keeping an eye out for her as she hobbled along with the others. He somehow managed to always appear by her side to help her right the moment when she struggled to go down a steeper bit of the path, or when the way was obstructed by roots, rocks or low hanging branches.

It was hard to tell what time of day it was when they finally but quite suddenly came upon a wide fast-flowing river, that cut right through the Elven path, blocking their way. Balin had been leading them along and had now come to an abrupt halt at the sight of the rushing dark water. The sound of the water had also ripped Arinna out of her thoughts, and she slowly made her way to the front of the company, to the edge of the stream. The water looked strange and dark, yet somehow rather inviting, she thought.

"The path continues on the other side," Bilbo muttered eventually from where he stood beside Thorin, pointing over to the opposite riverbank. He squinted slightly into the distance. "Look, there's a boat. Though I think it's tied up."

"We don't need a boat," Ori answered him, a strange lull in his voice as he slowly reached out his hand toward the dark water. "I say we swim it."

His hand was caught roughly and pulled back before it could get any closer to the water's surface. Ori snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see Arinna give him a warning look, her face set with a serious expression as she let go of his hand. "Don't touch the water," she uttered, before she urgently looked at Thorin. "Gandalf warned me about this river. It carries a powerful enchantment. No one must touch it. Bilbo's right, we have to try and get the boat onto this side."

The dwarf-king seemed to take along time before he registered her words and the druid watched him close his eyes for a moment, seeing his blue irises appear slightly more focused when he opened them again. Thorin nodded and then motioned for Kili. They took one of the dwarf's arrows and tied a rope to the end of it with a strong knot, Gloin's handiwork. Then Kili shot his arrow, hitting his mark, and they managed to pull the thing over to their side of the river with a hard tug and some effort, as it had indeed been tied up. The boat turned out to be rather small, able to fit four people at once, at the most.

"We go in groups," Thorin ordered, assessing the situation as he looked from the boat to his companions. "Bilbo, Dwalin, Balin and I will go first. Then Kili, Oin, Gloin and Dori. Nori, Ori, Bifur and Bofur. And last Fili, Bombur and Arinna. Bombur's fat enough for two, Arinna is the lightest. She'll balance him out."

The druid just nodded her agreement, though she didn't appreciate the derogatory tone the dwarf had used toward Bombur, and they soon began to cross the river one group after the other. The current was much stronger than it had first seemed, and the dwarves struggled each time to get the boat from one riverbank to the other. It took a long time until finally, there was only the last group to cross over to the other side and Arinna took Fili's hand gratefully as he helped her into the boat. She sat down opposite Bombur, who gave her a reassuring smile, and Fili quickly hopped in and took the seat to her left.

The druid sat nervously as Fili and Bombur began rowing the boat slowly across the water, a knot tightening in her stomach as she looked around the tree line and the river bank. She couldn't tell what it was, but something felt wrong, making her skin crawl with goosebumps. They had made it around two thirds across the river, close to the other side now, and Bombur skilfully caught the rope that the rest of the company had thrown them in order to pull them to the bank faster.

It was then that Arinna felt the boat suddenly slow considerably and tilt slightly in its course, and she looked over in alarm to find that Fili had stopped rowing altogether for some reason and was leaning precariously over the rim of the boat. He was staring at something in the water, and was already reaching out his arm toward it.

"Fili! No!" Arinna exclaimed loudly, reaching out and grabbing the back of his coat to pull him back. But Fili reacted oddly, his elbow suddenly coming up with a jolt and pushing her back. The druid was knocked off balance and fell backwards, rocking the boat at the same time that the company had given a hard pull on the rope. The combined force and Bombur's weight on one side were enough to overturn the small boat and Arinna cried out as she fell backwards into the river, her voice drowned by the water as her body was submerged.

The druid felt her body being picked up by the current as she tried to struggle to the surface, having lost all orientation in the water. It felt like an age before her head finally broke through and she coughed out some water, taking in a greedy breath of air, as she was carried quickly downstream, trying to blink through the drops in her eyes. She couldn't see the company, nor Bombur, but could only hear their distant screams that carried down the river. Her eyes instead caught the sight of a bunch of furs rushing down the river a little distance ahead of her. It was Fili, she realised with a start, floating face-down in the water. Arinna's eyes widened with fear and she quickly made a few powerful strokes toward him, the current carrying her along swiftly. She grabbed hold of Fili's coat as soon as she reached him and heaved his head to the surface, panic filling her heart now when she saw that his eyes were closed and he was not moving. She could not tell if he was still breathing or not.

Arinna tried to swim against the current, back toward the company, holding on to Fili with all her might, but it was no use. The current was too strong, she would not have made it by herself, never mind trying to drag the dwarf along with her. Naked fear filled her again, feeling the current carrying them further and further away, as the cries of her companions died down, when her body suddenly smashed roughly against a large, thick branch that was hanging low into the flowing river. A breathless gasp left her as the current pressed her and Fili against it but she quickly brought up one hand to hold onto it, before they would be swept away again. It took her almost all the strength she had left to even begin to slowly make her way along it, inching her way closer to the riverbank. Her grasp on Fili's furs kept slipping as she tried to keep his head above the surface, and she cried out with the effort of every movement along the branch.

Arinna didn't know how long it had taken her until she finally reached the riverbank and dragged Fili out of the river with her, heaving him out of the water with a final outcry. She had no strength left in her. Her lungs were burning painfully with every breath she drew as she fell to her knees, the soft ground turning muddy with the water that dripped from her. Her legs were trembling from exhaustion. Her arms felt so heavy that she could barely lift them. And yet, she still forced herself to raise her hands to Fili's form, one hand brushing against his open mouth with trembling fingers while the other flew to his chest. A relieved sob fell from her lips and she dropped her head when she realised that his heart was beating steadily in his chest and he was still breathing. He was just asleep, she thought, _just_ _asleep_.

"Fili," she tried to say, though her voice came out choked and croaky. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him slightly, but he did not move. She tapped her hands against his cheek. "Fili, wake up. You've got to wake up! We've got to find the others."

She felt fear rise in her heart again when he still did not wake, and she shook his shoulders again, harder this time. Fili did not move. "Please, just wake up," she begged helplessly, a lump building in her throat as she looked around her.

"Help!" She then called loudly, her voice echoing back at her from the dark, unmoving trees around her. Arinna stared up the river, unable to see past a few yards as the forest grew straight down to the river's edge. It was quickly getting dark now, and she was barely able to see anything, but she kept shouting into the darkness. "Help! Thorin! Dwalin! We're here!"

There was no answer. The forest remained silent around her while the river rushed past undisturbed. "Hello?! We're here! Help!" She tried again, as loud as she could, hearing her voice tremble and break when there was still only silence in return to her desperation. "Please, somebody! Anybody!"

The druid fell silent as she took a moment to think, shivering in her wet clothes and sniffling quietly in the cold night. She wiped her wet hair from her face, finding that tears had now mingled with the droplets on her face, before she looked back down at Fili, who slept on. Hesitatingly, she slowly brought her trembling hands to either side of Fili's head, pressing her fingertips gently against his temples as she leaned over him.

"Um tam numorto," she breathed, trying to lift the sleeping curse that had befallen the blond dwarf. Arinna closed her eyes, breathing deeply for a few seconds as she tried to slow her heartbeat. Magic and fear did not mix well, she knew. She tried again, concentrating as hard as she could on the magic in her core. "Um tam numorto… _um tam numorto_."

She opened her eyes, finding Fili's still closed, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths as he slept on. The druid let her head drop in despair, her forehead resting on Fili's chest for a few long moments as she cried silently, trying to gather herself. It was no use. Her power was not strong enough to lift the enchantment. No one had heard her calls for help, or answered, and she couldn't go looking for the others and leave Fili here alone. And she couldn't carry him either, the dwarf being much too heavy for her to drag along by herself. And even if she could, they were by now so far off the path that they would hardly be able to find their way back to it.

Arinna let out a shuddering breath, lifting her head and looking out into the darkness of the forest. She would have to wait until Fili woke up by himself. And until then, she was alone.

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"FILI!"

Thorin's voice rang loudly through the trees as he stalked through the bushes and thick foliage, using his sword to cut down anything in his way. The rest of the company was following behind him, calling out to their lost friends.

"Arinna! Fili!"

"LASS!"

"Fili!"

They had been looking for them for what seemed like hours already. After they had managed to pull a sleeping Bombur out of the river by the rope that the fat dwarf was still clutching in his hand, they had left the path and followed the riverbank as far as they could until the forest had grown too thick to pass alongside it, the foliage almost impenetrable as spiky roots and branches blocked the way. It had taken them far too long as it was, as they now needed to carry Bombur. Now they were wandering through the forest, hoping that they were still going in the right direction, without a way of knowing, while there was still no sign of their two missing companions and the trees grew dark around them.

"It's no use, Thorin," sighed Dori eventually, shrinking back from the dark look the king shot him upon his words. He spoke carefully, but honestly. "We've lost them, we've lost the light and now we've lost the path."

"What are you saying?" Kili growled dangerously at the older dwarf, before Thorin had the chance to reply anything, quickly taking a few menacing steps toward him as he raised his voice. "That we should abandon our search? My brother and Arinna are somewhere out there! What if they're hurt! What if they need help?! You would just leave them to their fate and crawl back the way we came? What kind of coward are you? What kind of friend?"

Dori stumbled backwards as Kili seethed at him, not knowing what to say.

"What if it was Ori?" Kili continued his verbal assault on the grey-haired dwarf, unable to keep the fear he felt from turning into anger. "Would you have us abandon Ori in the forest? Or is that different, since he is _your_ brother?"

"Of course not," Dori stuttered, shaking his head. "I did not mean -"

It was Bilbo's voice that rang out over the commotion, speaking over a frightened Dori. Bilbo caught Kili's stormy gaze, and sent him an understanding but helpless look.

"The problem is that we do not know the way back, Kili," he said gently. "And we don't know the way forward. We are completely lost. We have been looking for them for hours now and if we were going the right way, I'm sure we would have found them by now. It's this forest… I don't think it wants us to find them."

Though the hobbit's voice had been kind, Kili's eyes sparked with fury as he stepped toward the smaller man. "You would leave them to their fates as well?! You! You treacherous little -"

"KILI!" Thorin shouted over his nephew's voice, making Kili stop in his tracks as his head suddenly seemed to clear. He realised he was standing much closer to the hobbit than he had thought, his collar held tightly in his fist. He was not sure what he'd been meaning to do. The young dwarf quickly let go of Bilbo, who stumbled a few steps backwards, before he turned to his uncle, stepping close to Thorin who was looking at him with tired eyes. "Stand down."

"No, we must keep looking, uncle," Kili pleaded and Thorin closed his eyes shortly at the sight of his nephew's desperate gaze. The brunet dwarf lowered his voice. "I cannot leave him out there, Thorin. I cannot! He's my brother."

"And my nephew," Thorin murmured, lifting one hand to put it heavily on the young dwarf's shoulder as he continued, his words leaving a sting in his own heart, as he saw his nephew's face fall. "I won't abandon Fili. Not for anything, not ever. But we have lost the light. We'll continue our search in the morning."

Kili shrugged off his uncle's hand roughly, though he made no other move to step away, he could not bring himself to do anything, Thorin's words leaving a bitter taste in their wake. Thorin gazed at his younger nephew sadly, trying to give him some courage, and perhaps himself, as well. "He'll be fine, Kili. They'll both be fine."

Kili didn't say anything, and indeed, he never found out if Thorin had been right, for they did not get another chance to look for their companions the next morning. They were attacked that very night by a pack of enormous, black spiders, which had been waiting for their chance to pounce on the company ever since they had left the Elven path that day.


	14. In the woods somewhere

**On we go! Thanks very much to Little Bucky and amrawo for your reviews!**

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Fili was plagued by strange dreams, finding himself back in the Ered Luin, joking in the tavern with his brother, then suddenly as a small dwarfling running toward his mother after he had scraped his knees in a fall. Then the scene changed again and he was sat around a large table while his uncle Thorin told them of his plan to march for Erebor. Fili could barely keep up with how fast time seemed to flow and blend together in his head, and he suddenly found himself at another table, surrounded by his companions and a hobbit that was fussing over them. He could see blocks of cheese, ham, bread, and other things spread on the table and was about to reach for something when his eyes were drawn to an opening door at the edge of his view. He was transported to yet another scene before he could see who walked through it, finding himself sat alone in a dark hall, his head feeling heavy as he stared at something in front of him, unseeing.

And then he suddenly woke up with a start, his eyes fluttering open and his breathing heavy. It took him a moment to get used to the darkness around him, and once he did, he could see a thick cover of leaves in the tree tops high above him. He tried to even his breathing and became aware of the sound of rushing water nearby. He frowned deeply. He had no idea where he was.

"Fili?"

The dwarf jerked upright at the sudden voice beside him and he instinctively pulled a large knife from the inside of his coat, pointing it through the darkness at the small figure opposite him as he scrambled backwards.

"Fili, it's me," the figure said and the blond dwarf blinked as he realised that he was faced with a small woman, who was looking at him with obvious concern. She had her hands raised appeasingly, her eyes trained on his face as he kept pointing his dagger at her. Long, black hair was hanging limply at the sides of her face, green eyes wide with fear and worry. She seemed somehow familiar to Fili, though he couldn't place her face.

"Who are you?" He finally growled, his voice sounding croaky and unused. He tightened his grip on his knife. "Where am I? What have you done to me?"

The woman's face fell at his questions and he watched suspiciously as she closed her eyes for a short moment, sighing deeply, before she looked back up at him. Fili didn't budge from his position, ready to attack should it turn out that this woman was dangerous. She didn't seem it, but looks could be deceiving. He narrowed his eyes at her warningly when she made a small move toward him, stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm Arinna," she spoke softly, her words slow as though she wasn't sure he was able to follow her. "We're in Mirkwood and I have done nothing to you. We're friends, Fili, you know me. We were traveling through the forest with Thorin and the others when you fell into the river. You've been asleep for two days."

Fili's brows drew together in confusion, and the woman continued quietly when he said nothing in return. "What's the last thing you remember?"

He thought for a moment, trying to gather his clouded thoughts. "The Shire," he finally said, shaking his head slightly to clear it. He wasn't sure if he should be telling a stranger this, but he couldn't quite help himself. "We were recruiting the hobbit as our burglar. And ate supper at his house."

Fili looked up at the small woman before him as her hands dropped into her lap and she inclined her head with a deep sigh. "That was _months_ ago," she whispered, more to herself than to him but the dwarf still heard her, his temples beginning to pound with a headache as he tried to make sense of it all. She looked so defeated, he almost felt bad for her, though he didn't quite know why.

"You're saying I've lost my memory?" He finally asked, obviously ripping the woman out of her own thoughts as she looked up at him with a helpless nod.

"Or do you think you stepped out of Bilbo's hobbit-hole and landed directly in Mirkwood, completely abandoned?"

Fili just tilted his head slightly, not bothering to answer her question as it was clear that he was missing some bits of information in between those two scenarios. He heard her sigh again, but he didn't say anything else, lost in his own thoughts.

"Fili," the woman then said after a few long moments of thoughtful silence, looking up at him earnestly. "I… I think I can help you. With your memory. I think I can help you remember but you'll have to trust me."

"Trust a stranger?"

"I'm not a -" Arinna began but stopped with another sigh. She shook her head slightly to herself,3 trying to choose her words carefully as he eyed her carefully. "I'm a druid. I wasn't able to lift the sleeping curse but I think that my power might be enough to bring back your memories. Or I could at least try."

Fili said nothing for a few moments, keeping his knife pointed at her as he thought. He was trying to remember, trying to find some sort of memory in his head that would confirm her story, but all he had was himself sitting at Bilbo's dinner table with a piece of ham in his hand and then a complete blank.

"I would never hurt you, if that's what you're thinking," the druid added quietly, and Fili thought that her eyes were truthful as she looked at him.

The dwarf stared at her for another few moments, his dagger still raised, unsure of what to do. She didn't seem very dangerous, he thought, and he didn't really believe that she meant to do him harm. As it looked to him, they were the only two people on this riverbank, if she had meant to hurt him, surely she would have done it by now. And he definitely wanted to know how he had come to be in this place. And she knew his uncle's name, he thought, which would have been odd if there wasn't some sort of truth to her words. Fili finally took a deep breath and gave her an uncertain nod, slowly lowering his weapon and letting it drop to the floor beside him.

The dark-haired woman released a low breath before she moved toward him, her movements still slow as not to spook him again, as though he were some sort of frightened animal. Fili watched her, suspicion still heavy in his heart, remaining silent when she came to kneel before him. He flinched when her hands reached up to his face, her fingertips pressing gently against his temples. She gave him a moment to reject her touch, but Fili stayed still. The dwarf's eyes were a mixture of suspicion and curiosity as he watched her close her eyes and taking several deep breaths.

"Ren sal len uth," she then murmured lowly and with great care, speaking in a language that Fili had never heard before and didn't recognise. For a moment, he wondered, whether she was cursing him after all. The dwarf felt a slight sting where her fingers touched his skin and he twitched slightly, though he didn't move away. "Ren sal len -"

Arinna's eyes shot open when Fili let out a small yelp, jerking his head away from her touch. She looked at him with wide-eyes as he brought the palm of his hand to his forehead, rubbing against it, seemingly to get rid of a sudden headache. The druid dropped her hands as she watched him cautiously, and it was a few moments before the dwarf looked up slowly, his pale blue eyes staring at her in disbelief.

Fili was breathing heavily and for a second Arinna worried that her spell might not have worked, that his memory was still lost, before the dwarf suddenly reached out and grabbed her by the front of her collar, pulling her into a tight hug. Arinna felt her heart leap into her throat and she let out a relieved breath as she returned Fili's embrace eagerly.

"By Durin," the blond dwarf breathed heavily into her hair, squeezing her tightly and letting a few seconds pass between his sentences, still recovering from the sudden return of his memories. Pictures had flooded his mind at incredible speed, it had seemed, and he let out a deep sigh as he held the druid close, remembering now the first time he had seen her and everything else up until this very moment. "I'm sorry I pointed a knife at you, Arinna."

The druid couldn't help but laugh as she leaned back, sending Fili a happy smile, feeling tears well up in her eyes. He seemed to be wholly himself again, looking her over with slight concern. "It's quite alright," she answered thickly and they looked at each other for another long moment before Fili finally let go of her and they moved apart.

"I thought you said you would never hurt me," he muttered then, slightly rubbing at his still throbbing forehead as he raised one eyebrow at her.

Arinna gave a small shrug, sensing the humour beneath his words. "Well, not on purpose, anyway."

Fili gave her a small, crooked smile upon her words, before he looked around himself properly, his gaze drifting over the silent riverbank and the dark trees around them. There were tracks on the ground leading from the water to where he had woken up earlier. He shook his head, looking back toward the druid, who was wiping slightly at her eyes. "You dragged me out of the water," he realised and she simply nodded in return. He took a moment to take in the information. "And I was asleep for two days?"

Arinna nodded again, her expression sobering quickly as she began to explain to him what had happened and what she had done while he slept. "I kept calling for the others, and I went into the forest as far as I dared to look for them, but I couldn't find a trace, nor the way back. The forest grows so thick here, it's impossible to find a way back upstream. I don't know how far the water carried us, or in which part of the forest we are. But we're completely off the path now and the forest is much darker here, you can barely see your own hand in front of your face during the night. And I couldn't leave you here alone. I didn't know what to do, Fili…"

Fili reached out and put his hand over hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "It's alright," he muttered, trying to think of what they should do now, while he somewhat failed to give her an encouraging smile. "It's alright, we'll figure it out together, Arinna… The way I see it, we should keep heading East, toward Esgaroth. That's where the company will be headed."

"But we won't know which way is East after one day in the depths of the forest," Arinna answered seriously, feeling slightly comforted by the feeling of Fili's large hand still wrapped firmly around her own small one. "This place is treacherous, Fili, and we don't have the sun to follow. We'd be going in circles before long. That's what Gandalf meant when he told us never to leave the path."

The blond dwarf sighed deeply and then nodded. He couldn't deny the truth in her words. It had already been hard enough not to lose their way when they had still had the path to follow, without it, they barely stood any chance of going the right way. He frowned, thinking, when his eyes fell on the fast flowing river at their side. Arinna followed his gaze.

"The river," he said slowly. "It flows North, does it not?"

Arinna thought for a moment before she nodded, returning Fili's gaze as he looked at her, an idea forming in his head. "Yes, it does. I believe it joins the Forest River at its end."

"Which flows into the Long Lake," Fili concluded. "I say we follow it and make our way to Lake Town that way. What do you think?"

"The forest might grow too impenetrable for us to follow it eventually," Arinna said quietly but Fili just shrugged at her words.

"What choice do we have? I believe we should try."

Arinna took in a low breath, inclining her head slightly as she thought about his suggestion. He was right, she knew, they had to at least try. There was no way they could stay here, and this idea might be their best chance.

"What about the Elves?" She offered up thoughtfully. "This would bring us right on the doorstep of the Woodland Realm."

Fili's gaze darkened for a moment at the unpleasant reminder, as another sigh left him. He knew about the treachery and dangers of the Wood-Elves from his uncle's stories. And even Beorn had warned them about them before they had departed from his lands. He shook his head then.

"Perhaps they won't notice us if we are careful," he suggested quietly, and she heard the determination swing in his voice. He had made up his mind, and the druid looked at him for a long moment before she drew her mouth slightly askew and nodded her head. Fili gave her hand another small squeeze. "Alright then. North it is."

And with that he stood slowly, pulling the druid to her feet at the same time. They picked up what few provisions they still had, giving each other another determined look before they began their trek along the riverbank, following the current. It wasn't long before they had to move further into the trees, though, the foliage at the river's edge growing too thick to make their way through. They moved slowly, only going as far from the river as they absolutely had to, careful to make sure that they could always still hear the water flowing somewhere beyond the trees.

* * *

Arinna and Fili made their way through the forest, walking for hours at a time and only stopping at night, when the darkness around them grew too impenetrable to see where you were putting your feet. They used their provisions sparingly, realising that it would only be a few more days until they would run out of drinkable water completely. Neither of them spoke much during the day, and the nights had become haunted with large yellow eyes staring at them from the thicket, preventing them from getting any proper sort of sleep.

"I could try and get a fire going," Arinna suggested into the darkness one of those nights, after they had stopped for the day. They were sitting not too far from each other, and she heard the leaves rustle on the ground as Fili moved somewhere beside her.

"With what? We have nothing to…" The dwarf's voice echoed through the black night, and Arinna smiled slightly at his tone when he realised that she was suggesting magic. "Oh. I didn't know you could do that. Create a fire from thin air."

Arinna shrugged slightly, though Fili didn't see. "I didn't think my powers would be strong enough to give you back your memory," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "I suppose I won't know until I try."

"You needn't try. There's no point, anyway," Fili answered after a few moments of silence, sighing quietly. "The light only attracts strange creatures. We might as well leave it."

Arinna nodded, though of course Fili couldn't see that. He was right, of course, but the shiver that ran through her limbs reminded the druid that she would have welcomed a fire nonetheless. The nights had grown much colder now than when they had first entered the forest weeks ago and she sighed to herself as she rubbed her hands along her arms, another shiver running through her.

"Arinna? Are you cold?"

Fili's voice was coming from somewhere close by and the druid tried to make her words sound light as she answered, failing completely at it as her teeth continued to chatter through her speech. "No, I'm alright, F-Fili. Perfectly f-fine."

"Arinna," the dwarf's voice was more serious all of a sudden, a quiet rumble in the darkness. The druid pressed her mouth shut. "I can hear the chatter of your teeth from here. How am I supposed to find any sleep with all that noise?"

"Charming," Arinna commented dryly at Fili's jest, drawing her knees up to her chest with a slight huff.

"Come over here," Fili said softly after a moment's silence and the druid's brows lifted slightly, though she followed his request anyway, her body almost moving of its own accord. She got up halfway and slowly began crawling toward where she thought he was, holding out her hand to stop herself from knocking into anything. She heard his quiet voice through the dark. "Take my hand."

Her outstretched fingers suddenly came into contact with Fili's, making her flinch slightly at the unexpected touch of skin in the darkness. Fili quickly linked his fingers with hers and pulled her toward him until she felt herself bump into him. Instinctively, her other hand reached out to touch him, trying to figure out which way he was facing. Her fingers traced upwards through the fur on his collar until they found his face, and she realised she was touching his chin when a small braid from his moustache grazed her knuckles. Fili's breath was fanning warm against her skin.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness then and she could see the dwarf's contours now before her. He was very close, his chest brushing against her own with every breath he took, his hand still curled around her own, while her other remained on his beard. Arinna swallowed tightly, her stomach suddenly tying itself into an uncomfortable knot.

Fili had been able to see the contours of her face a few moments before and his gaze was set firmly on it as he felt her lingering touch on his face, her fingers resting gingerly against his beard. His heart was suddenly in his throat, and he did not dare speak, for fear of breaking the mesmerising silence between them. And it was then that he suddenly thought that perhaps he had never told her about the intimacy of touching a dwarf's hair because he was afraid she'd stop if she knew.

He didn't find the courage to tell her this, though, and he didn't want to think about the unsettling feelings that followed his realisation. Instead, he merely took his free arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her further against him. Her hand fell from his face to his chest and grabbed a fistful of his furs, and he released her other hand to wrap his second arm around her as well, feeling her shiver against him.

"You're so warm…" the druid whispered, her body unconsciously snuggling closer against Fili, who swallowed past the uncomfortable lump in his throat.

"Try to get some rest," he finally murmured, his voice seeming uncomfortably loud in the quiet forest. He felt her tired head drop against his shoulder as she sighed. "I won't let you freeze, promise."


	15. The road goes on

**And chapter 15! Thanks again to amrawo and Little Bucky for your lovely reviews. I hope you enjoy this one, as well, as these next few will be focused on Fili and Arinna finding their way back to the others.**

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"We are going to have to find something to eat soon," Fili was saying as he marched ahead, using one of his swords to drudgingly cut a path through the thicket. "Our provisions will only hold us over for so much longer and there seems to be no end to this accursed forest."

Arinna couldn't disagree with the dwarf's words as she followed him slowly through the trees. She knew that they would run out of food soon and even though they had been heading North for several days now, they did not seem to be making any real progress. She let out a deep sigh instead of answering Fili.

"I think we should try and hunt something when we make camp tonight," the blond dwarf continued, his voice stern but he still shot a short look over his shoulder to see if she agreed with him. He waited for her to catch up with him completely, before he continued on their way.

"Everything in this forest is foul and rotten, Fili," the druid answered seriously behind him, making him tilt his head slightly as he concentrated on cutting down the branches before him. "I doubt we'll find anything edible here. And I have seen no signs of animals other than those bloody eyes that keep staring in the dark, have you?"

"No… but there must be something," Fili replied, though he couldn't be sure. But he was adamant. "And if not, then I will at least try. I will not watch you starve beside me."

The druid sighed again and remained silent for a little while. She thought about his words as they trudged along through the forest. "Fine," she finally conceded and the dwarf before her shot another short look over his shoulder at her words. She gave him a stern look. "But I won't let you go alone. Either we both go or neither of us. I didn't drag you out of that bloody river for you to get lost and die in the forest."

She heard Fili chuckle quietly to himself, a welcome sound in the heavy silence beneath the trees, before he nodded his head slightly. "Fair enough."

And so, once they had decided that they would go no further that day, and while they still had the light, the two of them stuck to their plan. While Fili walked ahead, further into the depths of the forest, Arinna trailed behind him, keeping the end of a thin rope held tightly in her hand. She normally used it to cut pieces from it for the bundling of herbs, but now she had tied the other end around the trunk of a large tree near the river and was letting it unroll from her wrist slowly as they walked ahead. She kept tugging at it every now and again, to reassure herself that it was still knotted tightly around the tree at its end.

They were both keeping their eyes and ears peeled for any movement or noise from potential prey, though the forest provided no sounds that the druid could have matched to an animal she knew. She stopped walking abruptly when she felt the end of the rope almost slip through her fingers.

"Fili, stop!" She whispered sharply at him, not needing or daring to be too loud in the quiet, darkening forest. Fili turned around to her with a question in his eyes, which Arinna answered by holding up the rope that had now unwound from her hand completely. "We can't go any further."

"But there must be something near," the dwarf answered, keeping his voice low, as well. He was sure that he had seen movement in the trees ahead not too long ago. If he could only track it down and kill it, whatever it was, they wouldn't have to worry about food for the next day or two. Arinna shook her head at him vehemently, her gaze set with a silent plea. Fili had an almost haunted look in his eyes, his pupils wide, and the druid had no doubt that the forest was working on his mind once more, trying to lure him further inside.

"We must turn back," she said, her voice turning more urgent as she saw his gaze drift toward the dark trees before him again. He was a few steps ahead of her and Arinna reached out her free hand toward him when he took another toward the trees. The gesture drew his attention back toward her momentarily. "Fili, if we go any further, we will be lost. We'll go back, try again tomorrow. Please. Take my hand and we'll go back."

Fili's eyes darted from her face down to her outstretched hand and back to the trees. He fought with himself for a moment, before he finally let his head drop and let out a defeated sigh. Then he slowly turned fully towards her and took her offered hand, feeling her give his own a grateful squeeze as she began to lead the way back to the river. His head slowly began to clear as he followed her, the warmth of her small hand in his sending small waves up his arm.

They reached their starting point after a little while and Fili sat down with a huff, letting his back fall against the large tree that the rope had been tied to. Arinna sat down close beside him, her shoulder grazing his, a habit that they had gotten into during the past few nights, as they slept snuggled up together for warmth.

"We'll try again tomorrow," Arinna repeated her earlier words, sensing the dwarf's frustration as it practically radiated off him in the growing darkness. She looked at him from the side with a reassuring expression but Fili's features remained hard.

"And what if we don't find any prey tomorrow either? Or the day after that, and the day after that? What then?"

Arinna sighed at the blond prince's exasperated words, though she didn't really know how to answer him. He had more than a valid point, after all. They both knew what would happen if they didn't find any food or reach the end of the forest soon. Instead of looking for some falsely comforting words, the druid just leaned her head against Fili's shoulder.

"Don't be so defeatist, Fili," she murmured. "It doesn't suit you."

She could feel him let out a small, amused breath as she repeated the words that he had once said to her. It wasn't a laugh, or even a chuckle, but it was something, Arinna thought. Though his small joy faded as quickly as it had appeared and she heard him sigh deeply.

"It's my fault."

The druid raised her head, frowning slightly at his words as she looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's my fault we're going hungry," Fili went on, his voice tense and quiet as he spoke guiltily. He avoided her gaze. "It's my fault we're in this situation. I caused the boat to tip over. If I had just kept rowing, we'd have made it to the other side safely and none of this would have happened. We'd still be on the path if not already out of this forest."

Arinna shook her head at him in the dim light of the evening, one hand coming up and squeezing his upper arm slightly. She felt his muscles twitch slightly beneath her touch, tough he said nothing else. "Stop that, Fili. The river carries a strong enchantment, none of this is your fault."

The blond dwarf remained silent for a few long moments, while the druid kept her hand firmly placed on his arm, trying to make him realise that he was not to blame. She certainly didn't blame him.

"I thought I saw my father," he finally muttered and Arinna's eyebrows rose in surprise as she listened to him. His pale blue eyes found hers as he went on quietly. "In the water. I saw his face. I thought I saw him in the trees sometimes when we were still on the path, but I was sure it was an illusion then. Just the forest playing tricks on me. But then I saw his face in the water and I don't know what I was thinking… I just… I had to get a closer look. I had almost forgotten the look of his face, it's been so long since I last saw it. I'm sorry, Arinna, I didn't think. I wasn't thinking. It's all my fault."

The druid felt her heart sink at the sound of his voice, desperately guilty and so full of sorrow at the same time. She leaned her head back against his shoulder in the growing darkness, thinking of what to say.

"The magic in this forest is cruel," she murmured quietly then, though Fili heard her perfectly well with how close she was. Her voice carried only kindness, and Fili felt his heart constrict slightly. He had not expected it. "It tries to lead you astray, that's what Gandalf said. And how could you not have strayed for your father? Believe me, Fili, if I was given the chance to see my father again, the slightest chance, I would look for as long as I could, try to get as close as I could. You are not to blame for what happened. And we'll find our way out of this forest one way or another."

She felt Fili release a shaky breath, and she squeezed his arm a little tighter in response, lifting her head slightly so that she could rest her chin on his shoulder, looking directly at him as she spoke quietly but seriously. "I don't want you to take risks like you were going to in the forest tonight because you feel guilty, Fili. There is nothing to feel guilty about and I would much, _much_ rather go hungry for a few days than lose you in these woods."

She waited until Fili shot her a short look and an eventual small nod, before she turned her head away again and rested it against his shoulder comfortably once more. She felt his free hand move to cover hers, which was still on his upper arm, giving her fingers a gentle and grateful squeeze as they settled for the night.

* * *

"Do you ever miss the Hills of Evendim?"

"What?" Arinna shot a look over her shoulder at Fili's question. They had been walking in silence for a while, and she was surprised at the sudden sound of his voice cutting through the quiet noises of the forest. "Why are you asking me that?"

Fili shrugged slightly. "I was just wondering," he said thoughtfully. "You joined us to reclaim our homeland, yet you never really talk about your own. And, frankly, I'd rather listen to your voice instead of the rumbling of my own stomach. So, please, indulge my curiosity."

The druid smiled slightly, keeping her eyes to the front as she made her way through the foliage and began to answer his question. "To be honest, I don't think about it much. That place never really felt like home anymore after… after my father died. And even when he was still alive, he would always remind me that it was not where we belonged."

"What do you mean by that?" Fili asked and he watched as she came to a slow halt in front of him, frowning slightly at the strange look on her face when she turned around to him. He looked at her expectantly as she hesitated, her teeth shortly working on her lower lip, before she finally spoke.

"My family didn't come from Evendim, Fili," she explained quietly to him what she had only admitted to his uncle a few weeks ago. She looked up at him with thoughtful eyes as she spoke, taking in his reaction carefully. "Not originally, anyway. They sought refuge there. Before I was born, my parents lived in a village… East of Dale."

Fili's eyes widened in surprise. "Dale?" He repeated and Arinna nodded silently. His gaze drifted away from her for a short moment, as he tried to gather his thoughts. He looked back at her with a small frown. "But then… Why did you never say so?"

"I'm not sure," the druid sighed, studying the dwarf's face closely for his reaction. But Fili didn't seem angry at her secrecy, or disappointed. His face only showed incomprehension and surprise. She went on slowly. "Maybe I just thought that it was my own burden to carry. Gandalf asked me to join your quest, not just because he thought I might be useful to you, but because he knew that I had been planning to travel East for months already. He knew my father and that I wanted to see, to travel the lands where he came from. The lands where I come from. In fact, I told him this on his last visit to my colony. He knew that I wouldn't say no."

Fili looked at the druid silently, taking in her words as his eyes roamed over her face. He could tell that she was nervous, waiting for his reaction, but he didn't really know what to say. He had always wondered what her reason for joining them might have been, thinking that the wizard's invitation alone couldn't have been enough to make up a mind as strong as hers. And he had somehow always doubted that she was actually all that interested in the gold that her contract offered her upon fulfilment of the quest, never having heard her mention any plans for its use even once. And now he knew that her reason was much the same as his own, as his brother's and Thorin's and the others'. And he knew how she felt, wanting to look upon the lands of her ancestors, wanting to walk where they had walked. And it made him like her even more.

Arinna jumped slightly when Fili's hands suddenly came up and he put them on her cheeks, his palms pressing gently against her skin as he gave her a soft smile. "You'll walk the lands of your father before long, Arinna," he said quietly, yet she could hear that he meant every word. "I'll make sure of it. I am glad you told me."

The druid was lost for words and she could only stare at Fili, while he slowly removed his hands from her face, his gaze not breaking from hers. They stood silently facing each other, captured in each other's gaze, and he was about to say something else, when a loud crack suddenly sounded through the trees, ripping them both out of their stupor.

"We should keep moving," Arinna spoke, her voice quiet as she glanced along the tree line nervously. It was only now that she noticed how quiet the forest had gotten around them, unusually so, even for this place.

Fili nodded at the same time that the branches above them rustled and cracked again. "I think that would be wise," he agreed, slowly pulling one of his swords from its sheath and nodding for her to go ahead.

They increased their pace as the strange sounds grew louder and closer around them, and Arinna felt her heart constrict with a pang of fear as she realised that the noises were following them. She flinched at the sound of a branch snapping high up in the trees ahead of them, and then there was another loud crack, somewhere to their right, and suddenly a rustling in the thicket behind them.

"Fili," the druid breathed, realising that they were being surrounded, stopping and turning around to him with a wide-eyed look on her face. Fili's expression was tense as he returned her gaze.

"I know," he simply said, drawing his second sword as the sounds grew closer still. Arinna took a deep breath as she pulled her own sword, gripping it tightly in one hand as she looked around. She felt Fili's form brush against hers as they stood back to back, facing the tree line. She couldn't see anything past the dark trees, but she was absolutely certain that there was something there, staring straight back at her.

For a moment, the noise around them stopped altogether and the druid and dwarf stood in the silent forest, waiting, the only sound filling the air now that of their fast breathing. And then Arinna saw it, a dark shadow moving behind the trees and her eyes widened when a giant spider burst out of the darkness, scattering toward them with incredible speed and clicking its sharp pincers menacingly.

Her cry mixed with Fili's as they charged at the screeching beast, the dwarf's swords slicing at its legs, cutting off three of them at once, while Arinna used her opportunity as the creature stumbled and fell over to bury her own blade in its head. The spider screeched viciously as it sank down dead to the ground. Arinna grimaced in disgust as she pulled out her sword forcefully and a wet, sticky sound filled her ears.

"GET DOWN!"

Arinna barely had time to react, her body moving automatically at Fili's yell as she let herself drop to the ground quickly, one of the dwarf's daggers flying past her head and embedding itself in something behind her with a hard thunk. She looked around to see the hilt of Fili's dagger sticking out of another spider's head. She was breathing heavily when she felt Fili's arm around her shoulder, pulling her to her feet as the forest filled with the sound of more approaching spiders around them.

Fili pulled her along without a word, his breath now coming in short bursts as they ran as fast as they could, breaking through the thicket as their clothes got caught and twigs scratched across their faces. They could not beat a whole group of those beasts just the two of them, Fili knew, and so the only choice they had was to run and hope that they managed to lose them. He felt the druid stumble along behind him, his hand wrapped firmly around her arm as he slashed his way through a bunch of branches that were blocking the way. Screeches filled the air behind them but Fili did not look back, trying to keep his gaze on the path before him so he wouldn't fall. If they fell now, that would be the end of them.

It was then that a horn suddenly echoed through the forest, though Fili and Arinna did not stop running, not slowing until they heard the screeches and hisses of the spiders grow more distant behind them. They kept up their pace for another few minutes, before Fili was forced to slow when he felt the druid halt in her tracks behind him, her hand still in his and pulling him to a stop.

"I think we've lost them," she breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath, shooting a look over her shoulder toward the quiet trees. The dwarf shook his head at her.

"Did you not hear the horn sound?" He asked her, nodding toward where the noise of the spiders had now died down when she looked at him questioningly. "It's the Elves. We must keep going. I don't fancy being thrown in a cell for trespassing on their lands."

Understanding flashed over the druid's features as she followed his gaze. "Do you think they know we're here?"

Fili didn't know. But he wasn't keen to find out, either. He gave her hand a slight pull and she followed his gesture quickly, falling back into step with him. He wanted to put as much distance between themselves and the Wood-Elves as possible, whether they were aware of their presence or not. Though it seemed that luck was on their side for once, as they saw no further sign of Elves even during the next few hours. Perhaps they had only been there for the spiders, and not them.

"I think we're close to the Woodland Realm now," Arinna finally said, when she deemed it safe to speak again. Fili shot her a questioning look. "The air doesn't seem quite so heavy here. Don't you think?"

Fili took a deep breath, realising that he was indeed feeling much lighter than he had for days. He nodded, relief filling him at the thought. "You're right. Which means we're close to the Forest River."

They smiled at each other then, both of them feeling new hope fill them as they kept following the path North as they had done before, the quiet sound of the enchanted river flowing along somewhere to their left. They reached the river mouth that night, while the trees around them had grown more alive, vibrant colours covering the autumn leaves.


	16. Can't fight this feeling

**Chapter 16, hope you enjoy! Thanks very much to purple-pygmy-puff16 and BrySt1 for your reviews!**

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Deciding that they would follow the Forest River East the next morning, Fili and Arinna set up camp in the shelter of the trees. For the first time since they had entered the forest, the druid didn't feel as though her every movement was being watched by creeping eyes just beyond the darkness. The sickness of the Mirkwood did not seem to reach this far North yet, allowing them to breathe the fresh forest air without fear of it muddling their senses.

Arinna was sleeping lightly. Her head was leaning against Fili's shoulder, as she had gotten used to by now, and she was relishing in the warmth that emanated from the dwarf. However, her eyes shot open when a large hand suddenly covered her mouth and she was about to scream when she heard Fili's voice whisper in her ear.

"Shh," he breathed, keeping his hand over her mouth while his other was resting on the hilt of his sword. Arinna's eyes were wide and confused when she felt his chin press against the side of her head, as he gave a tiny nod in the direction of the river. She followed the gesture with her eyes. "Orcs."

The druid watched with wide eyes as a small group of orcs made their way through the trees on the Northern bank of the river. They were moving swiftly westwards along the water, toward the borders of the Woodland Realm, Arinna realised with a frown. In the darkness, the orcs did not notice them in the cover of the trees on their side of the riverbank, but it was only when the pack was safely out of sight that Fili finally removed his hand from her face and the druid took a deep breath.

"We must move at first light," Fili murmured near her ear, his voice tense as he spoke. "Get as much distance between ourselves and those beasts as we can."

"Why are they travelling West?" Arinna voiced her thoughts aloud, though she didn't disagree with Fili, turning her head slightly toward the blond dwarf. "Why would they willingly go so near the Woodland Realm? Why if not because they think to find Thorin there? They still seek his head as their prize."

Fili remained silent, considering her words. Perhaps she was right and Thorin and the company had somehow ended up in the Woodland Realm, perhaps captured by the Elves on their way along the Elven path, as they had almost been themselves that very day. But there was no way of knowing for certain, and to throw themselves into the Wood-Elves' open arms to find out wouldn't help.

"We cannot know that for sure," he uttered quietly, letting out a frustrated sigh. He wasn't sure if what they were doing was the right thing, but he had no choice but to follow his gut instinct. "And we can't risk being captured ourselves while trying to find out, if it's not true. I don't fancy being thrown in a cell for trespassing on Elven land when we've already come so far. No, we must make for Esgaroth and look for my uncle there. I know that's where he'll go, the company will need fresh provisions and supplies before the march to Erebor. Esgaroth is the closest populated town."

The druid just slowly nodded her agreement before he felt her lean back slightly against him. He could tell that she did not sleep for the rest of the night, and neither did he, though none of them spoke another word. Fili's hand was still sat on the hilt of his sword when the sky began to brighten with the rise of the morning sun, while his other arm was wrapped around Arinna's middle. He wasn't sure when exactly he had stopped caring about whether his actions toward her would have been considered inappropriate by others. All he knew was that he wanted to keep her close and safe, knowing by now all too well the dangers that lurked in this forest.

Arinna slowly extracted herself from the dwarf's grip and stood, before she helped Fili to his feet, as well. She gave him a small smile, though she still said nothing as they packed their things and set out. The druid had lain awake for the rest of the night, unable to find any sleep as she had thought about the orc pack and her lost friends, the rest of Thorin's company. She only hoped that they were all doing well, and that all of them would make it out of the forest in one piece, if they hadn't already. Though her thoughts kept drifting toward other things, as well. All night she had felt Fili's right arm wrapped protectively around her, her back leaning against his chest, and she had wondered for the first time when she had become so cosy with the dwarf. They had begun sleeping like this for warmth, Arinna thought, but she knew that if they had still been among the rest of the company, she would never have let herself be this close with him, knowing how inappropriate it would be. She still vividly remembered the time that Kili had surprised them in the woods during their training, recalling how she had broken away from the blond dwarf in embarrassment at the realisation of how close they had been. However, she could not pretend as though she minded. Not then, and not now, she thought. She felt safe in Fili's arms, felt as though her troubles fled to the back of her mind for a little while when he held her.

"Here."

Fili's voice ripped her out of her thoughts. They had been walking for a few hours now and had stopped to refill their water skins, the water from the Forest River fresh and cold and carrying no dangerous magic. The dwarf handed her one of the skins, looking at her with slightly furrowed brows.

"Everything alright?" He asked with slight worry when she just stared at him for a long moment, her green eyes seeming unfocused. He reached up and gently touched her shoulder, which seemed to rip her out of her musings. She blinked up at him. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, earning herself a small chuckle from the blond prince.

"I doubt that," he answered but inclined his head with a small smile when she said nothing in return. His mood was brighter now than it had been for days and he gave her shoulder a small squeeze before he let go. "Alright then, keep your secrets. We'll keep going until nightfall. We are making good time. I think we can make it to Esgaroth within the next two days or so if we keep up this pace."

The druid gave a short nod and fell back into step with him, and though she tried to occupy her mind otherwise, her thoughts kept circling back to the blond dwarf beside her for the remainder of the day. Arinna could tell that Fili was beginning to worry about her when she had barely spoken a word until they set up their small camp in the evening. They didn't build a fire, for fear of alerting the orc pack, or indeed the Elves, to their presence.

"I cannot wait until I get a chance to brush my hair," Arinna sighed in an effort to make at least some conversation as she sat down on the ground. She felt bad for unintentionally giving Fili the cold shoulder all day, and offered him a smile as he shot her a small look from where he was sitting beside her, the trees by the river now letting through enough light from the night sky to be able to actually see her in the evening. She could tell by the expression in his eyes that he was glad but surprised to hear her talk suddenly. "I hope I can get a decent comb somewhere in Lake Town."

"I do believe that they've just started selling them in the markets there about a year ago," Fili jested lightly. "The same time that someone brought their attention to the invention of the wheel."

The druid rolled her eyes at him, though a genuine smile was now pulling at the corners of her lips. Fili continued more earnestly. "It's not so bad, really," he said, his eyes drifting over her long black hair that was hanging over her shoulders. Sure, it was knotty and could do with a wash, much like his own, but she still looked beautiful, he thought to himself. He slightly cleared his throat before he went on. "I remember one time, when we were children, Kili had gotten himself into some sort of a scrap. And when he came home, his hair was tangled like a bird's nest. Knots as large as his little fists. Ma was shouting at him like there was no tomorrow. She spent hours brushing them out."

"Why not just cut them out if they were so bad? Save herself a bit of time?" Arinna asked, amused by the dwarf's story, and feeling more at ease now than she had all day, but she fell silent at Fili's wide-eyed gaze.

He shook his head vehemently. "Oh no," he answered. "No. Cutting off a dwarf's hair would be like cutting away a part of his honour. His pride. She would never have done that to him."

Arinna's mouth fell open slightly as she understood and she nodded slowly, before a thought suddenly occurred to her. "I didn't know you were so particular about your hair. Is that why you all wear some kind of braid? I mean, dwarves. I've noticed everyone of the company has at least one. Except Kili perhaps."

"Kili has one," the blond dwarf corrected her with a small smile, thinking of his brother and trying not to let the worry for him fill his heart. He was sure Kili was fine, he was always fine no matter the trouble he got into. "A small one behind his right ear. Though I can hardly fault you for not seeing it, he never quite grew out of the bird's nest phase I'm afraid."

His smile brightened as the druid laughed quietly at his words, and he went on to actually answer her question. "We braid our hair for different occasions. Each braid, depending on its weave and its position, signifies something else. Affiliation with a family clan, for example, or victory in battle."

"What do yours mean?" The druid now asked curiously, fascinated by the lesson in dwarfish culture that Fili was giving her. She saw him hesitate for a second before he smiled again, reaching up to touch his own plaits.

"This one here," he pointed to the one behind his right ear. "Is the Durin family braid. See the clasp? Every member of our family wears it. Thorin, my mother, Kili and I."

Arinna nodded, listening carefully as he continued, his hand moving to the one just in front of his right ear. "This one I got for my very first success in battle. Kili and I were escorting a group of merchants, when two stray orcs attacked us. We cut them down."

"Should Kili not be wearing two braids in that case? Why did he not get one for that?" Arinna asked in confusion, trying to follow the dwarf's explanation. Fili gave her a slight smirk.

"Because he did not land the killing blow either time," he said, before he continued, now holding the braid in front of his left ear between his fingers and twisting it slightly. "And this one was to mark my 80th birthday, two years ago."

Arinna smiled. "Did you have a grand celebration?"

"Aye," Fili chuckled, rubbing one hand over his beard as he thought back to the day. "My mother insisted, though I can't say I'm much for such big celebrations, especially if I'm at the centre of it. When is your birthday?"

The druid was slightly taken aback by the unexpected question, though she obliged quietly. "The fourth of December. I turned forty-seven last year."

Fili shot her a slightly incredulous look before he remembered what was said about druids. That they were blessed with long life and strange gifts. He could now confirm both of these things, he thought to himself with a small smile, before he continued with their original topic.

"There's other things that braids could stand for, of course. A braid behind the left ear, for example, would be a symbol of courtship. One running across the back of the head one for marriage," he added and the druid watched as he smiled quickly and ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it slightly. "And so on. Anyway, that's about the lot of it."

Arinna couldn't quite help her gaze falling on Fili's left ear for a moment, noticing that there was no braid behind it. She tried to shake off the strange small feeling of relief as she reached to her own face, mimicking the contours of a moustache around her mouth. "And what about those ones?"

Fili chuckled at the funny face she pulled as she gestured, brushing his hand against his own, real and braided moustache. "I mainly just think they look good," he admitted with a slightly sheepish grin and Arinna's face broke into a bright smile.

"They do," she agreed and Fili was about to return her smile at the compliment, when he suddenly froze, feeling her fingers reach up and give one of his braids a light, playful tug. His heart was suddenly in his mouth and he looked at her wide-eyed, his whole body tensing at her touch. Arinna's hand dropped from Fili's moustache immediately as she saw his reaction, and she opened her mouth in alarm, afraid that she had somehow managed to horribly offend him.

And then she suddenly felt his large, calloused hand on her cheek, and it was only now that she truly realised how close they actually were, as he leaned further toward her. The druid's breath hitched in her throat at Fili's intense gaze and the touch of his hand on her face. She could hardly stand the intensity of his pale blue eyes, not knowing where to look and yet unable to tear her gaze away from his face. His thumb brushed over her cheekbone and she saw his eyes search hers for a moment, though she wasn't sure for what, and then they suddenly darted down to her lips and back up just as quickly. Arinna felt her heart skip a beat, and in that moment she wished that he would just do it. She wished he'd kiss her.

Fili's hand fell from her face as suddenly as he had reached for it, ripping the druid out of her trance and making her flinch. She could only stare at the dwarf as he dropped his head, a low sound escaping him, which almost sounded like a growl. And then he abruptly moved away from her, putting several feet of distance between them. Fili turned his back on the druid, unable to look her in the eye as he lay down on the hard ground without another word.

Arinna stared at the dwarf's back with a lost expression on her face for a long time, not knowing what had just happened. The only thing she now knew for certain was that her feelings for Fili were not those of a mere friend. She had fallen in love with him.

The druid shivered as the cold autumn wind rushed through the trees.


	17. Lake Town

**Onwards! Thanks to BrySt1, amrawo, purple-pygmy-puff16, Lady-Finwe and paulavara140 for your reviews. I'm always very happy to read them and to know what you think! I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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The day dragged on as they marched along the river. They had put a good distance between themselves and the Woodland Realm by now and the forest lay behind them as they followed the current East. The far outlines of Esgaroth were now visible on the horizon. Though their legs were tired and their minds weary, they kept going, neither of them wanting particularly to spend another day out in the wilderness when their goal was so close. Fili and Arinna were both still hoping to find the rest of the company in Lake Town and be able to join back with them, before they made for the Lonely Mountain.

They had barely spoken a word to each other for a day and a half now and while Arinna interpreted Fili's continuing silence as a sure sign that he did not feel remotely the same for her as she for him, the dwarf was thinking entirely different things.

He couldn't help his thoughts circling back to the moment he had been so close to giving in to the deep need that was pulling at his stomach even now. It had taken all of his willpower not to kiss her that night. He had wanted to so badly, Mahal, he _still_wanted to, every minute of the day that she was around him. It was hard to concentrate on anything else. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, had stopped himself at the last possible moment, reminding himself that his advances would not be wanted. The touch of her fingers, tugging softly at his moustache, had been enough to send him into a frenzy but Arinna was no dwarf. She did not know what intimacy such gestures held for him, he had never told her. And it was not fair of him to assume that she meant them the way that he wanted her to mean them.

And so he hadn't kissed her, and though he stood by his choice, he was still regretting it ever since. He had tried to keep some distance between himself and the druid since that night, mostly to protect himself and her from getting into a similar situation again and not being able to stop himself and effectively ruining their friendship. He had even left her by the camp to go hunting on his own the night before. He had expected her to protest, as she had in the forest, but Arinna had let him go without a word. They hadn't eaten properly in days and Fili had been relieved to be able to return to her with two rabbits, which they had prepared and roasted in silence.

Night had already fallen when they finally reached the long bridge that led into the town of Esgaroth. It ran in a straight line from the edge of the Long Lake to the city gate, which was flanked by two armed guards. Fili straightened slightly as they approached the men slowly, trying to brush the worst of the dirt off his clothes and face, though it barely made a difference. He could feel the guards look at them suspiciously as they approached, tired, dirty and scruffy as they were.

"Halt!" The taller of the guards called to them, one hand wrapped around a long spear and the other held out toward them to emphasise his order. "You may not enter through here. State your business."

"We are only travellers," Fili answered in the politest voice he could muster as they came to a halt in front of the two men. "And seek to enter the town for shelter and food. We can pay."

The guard eyed the dwarf suspiciously, his gaze roaming over him and Arinna, shortly lingering on the weapons they were carrying. "Why would a dwarf be travelling these lands alone with a woman? And on foot, at this hour?"

Fili wasn't about to give away the whole purpose of their journey or where they had come from to a stranger and so he quickly came up with a lie to tell the guard. "We are travelling to the Iron Hills to see my kin. This is…" he hesitated as he looked over at Arinna, who shot him a short look. He looked back at the guard, so he didn't have to see her expression as he uttered the next words. "My wife, a healer. We lost our ponies and were robbed on our way here. Please, kind Sir, we are only looking for the safety and warmth of an inn. We won't be any trouble."

"Where did you say you were travelling from?" The other guard suddenly asked, and Fili looked up at him in slight surprise, mustering a polite smile.

"West of here," was all he said, and the guard narrowed his eyes at him.

"You would have come through Mirkwood, then."

The guard didn't wait for Fili to answer his words, which were more a statement than a question anyway. And it was then that he leaned toward his colleague and whispered something in his ear that Fili couldn't make out. The taller guard gave a short nod, then looked from the dwarf to Arinna, who was standing silently beside him. He seemed to study her for a moment, before his gaze fell back on Fili. "How do you expect to pay for your stay, when you claim that you were robbed?"

"We have some coin left," Arinna spoke quietly when Fili hesitated, caught in the small hiccup of his lie for a moment. The guards both looked at her with narrow, doubtful eyes. "It's not much but enough to pay for a small room. Please, you wouldn't be so heartless as to turn away two people in need?"

Fili saw the taller guard slightly draw his mouth askew, his face softening slightly at the woman's pleading words. He seemed to be much more inclined to help her than him, thought Fili. The second guard, however, was still eyeing them both suspiciously.

"You may enter," the short one then finally said and Fili let out a small breath of relief as he gave him a grateful nod, though the man continued swiftly. "I shall take you to the Master of Town. He is currently entertaining some guests that will no doubt want to speak with you."

Arinna and Fili exchanged a small look as they hesitantly followed the guard through the tall city gates. Could it be that he was talking about the rest of their company? Had they already reached Lake Town? They followed silently as the guard led them through the town, whose streets were relatively empty at this hour, though Arinna met the curious and suspicious gaze of the occasional person that crossed their path. Lake Town was built on a giant platform in the middle of the Long Lake, its streets consisting of many wooden bridges that led along and between shabby looking houses. There was no doubt that this town had seen better days, the druid thought as she let her gaze wander, shivering slightly in the cold night as she beheld the small patches of ice that were visible on the surface of the water beneath the bridges.

They reached a large square after a while and Arinna looked up to see the guard leading them toward a big house, no doubt the largest in the whole town and in better shape than any of the others she had seen. Its windows were glowing with warm light and the sound of several voices was coming from within as they approached. She hesitantly followed the man up the set of stairs and felt Fili step up next to her as the guard gave three loud knocks at the door. A voice called for them to enter from the other side and he pushed open the doors, holding them open and motioning for the two of them to go inside with a grim expression on his face.

Fili walked ahead and Arinna followed after him, wincing slightly when she heard the heavy doors fall shut behind them and she looked up to see herself confronted with a large table that stood at the far end of the hall. She could see several people sat there. There was an older man - tall, burly, with an almost bald head - and another next to him, younger, with greasy black hair, dark eyes and a moustache. There were also two Elves, looking almost radiantly beautiful next to the two scruffy men. They were clad in green travelling clothes, one of them blond and the other brunet. All of these people were looking at the dwarf and druid with narrowed eyes.

"How dare you disturb me when I am in the middle of a feast?" The man with barely any hair said gruffly, sending his guard a questioning look. "I am entertaining guests, you blundering buffoon."

"My apologies, Master. But we were ordered to inform you should we find dwarves at our gates," the guard spoke evenly, though obviously annoyed by the Master's words, and the Elves nodded their agreement while the Master stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth and eyed the two people the guard had brought in. "This one claims to be travelling to the Iron Hills with his wife. But I have no doubt in my mind that they are the missing prisoners that our friends, the Elves, have come to tell us about."

"What?" Fili exclaimed in disbelief, his gaze jumping from the guard to the people before him. He vehemently shook his head. "That's a lie, we are not -"

"Silence!" The Master called loudly and Fili's mouth snapped shut, his jaw twitching slightly as he pressed his teeth together angrily. He exchanged another glance with the druid beside him, who was looking at him worriedly. The Master looked to the two Elves sat at his table, a sly grin plastered on his face. "I told you that we would deliver the fugitives, didn't I? Do you recognise these two as part of the group that escaped your dungeons?"

Both Fili and Arinna realised the meaning of the Master's words almost immediately. He could only be speaking of the company, of Thorin and the others. Certainly, there could only have been one group of dwarves travelling through Mirkwood, that he could be referring to. And while Fili was concerned to hear that his uncle and companions had apparently indeed been captured by the Elves, he was relieved at the thought that they had somehow managed to escape.

Meanwhile, the Elves' gazes rested heavily on them, studying them intently. "I cannot say for certain," the blond one admitted eventually, his voice smooth and cool. He could not remember their faces, couldn't remember them sitting behind the cell doors in the dungeons. But he was certain that they belonged with the rest of them. After all, it could hardly be a coincidence that there would be another dwarf travelling so close to the Woodland Realm. "But I'm sure that they are in league with the others."

"How dare you accuse us?" Arinna suddenly spoke and Fili's eyebrows rose slightly at her harsh tone. She took a step forward, now standing directly beside him as she glared up at the Elves angrily. "You don't know us. You have never seen us before in your life, yet you would accuse any and every dwarf that crosses through here of a crime they did not commit? I would kindly suggest that you firstly re-evaluate your prejudice and secondly, your eye-sight. For I am no dwarf. We did not escape your dungeons, because we were never in them. Believe me, I would have made a fuss you would never forget if you had tried to lock me behind bars."

She halted for a moment, and Fili tilted his head slightly as he looked over at her, seeing her think for a second as she sent the people before her a hard stare. "And, to be perfectly honest," she finished then, her voice cold. "If you let a whole group of dwarves escape your dungeons, perhaps you should take a long, hard look at the quality of your guards."

The room was silent as Arinna ended her words with an angry huff and both men and Elves stared at her incredulously as she levelled each of them with a glare, while the corner of Fili's mouth had twitched upwards with the hint of a smile.

"A feisty woman you've got there," muttered the Master, shooting Fili a pointed look. The dwarf merely cocked one eyebrow at him slightly, sensing the tone of his words, but he was not about to apologise for anything Arinna had said. He agreed with every word and had actually rather enjoyed her telling them off.

"Indeed, Master, one would think a husband should have a better handle on his wife's manners," the man beside the Master eventually uttered, ignoring the dark looks both Fili and Arinna sent him. "It's true, she's no dwarf though."

"Quite right, Alfrid," the Master said and slowly looked Arinna up and down. It was all she could do not to shudder beneath his gaze. The Master seemed to think hard for a moment. "Makes one wonder. I was always under the impression that dwarves only kept among themselves, how come you're married to a human woman?"

It was at that moment that Fili really began to regret the lie he had told the guard, for the immediate answer that came into his head and that sprang straight to the tip of his tongue, he did not dare utter in front of Arinna. Instead he only sent the Master a withering look, clearing his throat. "Prejudice and falsehoods are commonly spread about my people, Sire."

The Master looked at him for a long moment, unsure of what to make of his answer, before he gave a small shrug, finally turning his gaze to the Elves. "Well, do you recognise them or not? I can't say I'm entirely convinced that they are indeed fugitives."

"I do not," the blond Elf admitted begrudgingly after a few long moments of hesitation. The Master revealed a small, yellow-teethed grin as he looked at his guests.

"There we have it," he exclaimed. "I gather you'd do well to ride back tonight and report to your king then. No fugitive dwarves in this town. And as for you two," he added with a glance toward Fili and Arinna. "You are free to go about your business. Which, may I ask, is what exactly? You say you're travelling to the Iron Hills?"

It was Fili who answered the man's question, while Arinna merely sent the blond Elf a triumphant look as he still gazed at her suspiciously. "Yes, we are travelling to meet my kin. We are only looking to stay for a few days at most, replenish our supplies and take refuge in one of your inns."

"Can you pay?" The Master asked matter-of-factly and Fili suddenly felt a strong dislike toward him at the greedy look that flashed over his face. The dwarf just nodded in reply, making the yellow grin on the old man's face broaden. "Then I say you are welcome to stay, my friends."


	18. A long night

**Happy Friday with a new chapter. Thanks very much to ****Guest, ****BrySt1, Mckenna079 and purple-pygmy-puff16 (the Talk is coming soon, not to worry :D) for your reviews, I love reading from you guys! Hope you enjoy this one.**

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"So, you need a room for you and your wife?"

Fili was standing in front of the innkeeper's desk, trying to secure their shelter for the night, though the old man was proving to be rather inquisitive, asking a lot of questions that Fili didn't really want to answer. So far, he had been asked his name, Arinna's name, what their relations were with each other, where they were travelling from and to, why they were arriving and asking for a room this late, if he was certain he had enough money on him, having been robbed earlier that day.

"No, I need two rooms," Fili answered the man before him politely, his patience slowly running thin. He had been standing here for almost twenty minutes already, while he had sent Arinna off to wait in the tavern that was situated in the other part of the ground-floor with the words _'I'll take care of this, my dear.'_, a thing that he had been extremely embarrassed to address her by but had felt obliged to under the watchful gaze of the old innkeeper.

"Why do you need two?"

"One for her, and one for me," Fili stated tiredly, thinking that this at least must have been fairly obvious. But the innkeeper just stared at him for a long moment, frowning slightly.

"Surely, you'd only need one," he said. "Being husband and wife."

Fili cleared his throat, an uncomfortable knot building in his stomach at the thought of sharing a room with Arinna. He shook his head. "No, we are going to need two rooms," he replied, returning the man's gaze as he kept frowning in confusion and slight suspicion. Fili let out a frustrated breath, before he thought of what to tell the man. "We've been having a bit of a quarrel. I'm afraid she's rather angry with me and certainly wouldn't want to share a bed with me tonight."

The frown on the innkeeper's face gave way to an understanding expression as he gave Fili a compassionate nod. "Oh," he said, his tone suddenly amicable, and for a moment Fili thought the man was going to give him a friendly pat on the shoulder by the way he was looking at him. "Well, why didn't you say so? My wife throws me out the bedroom on the regular on the most trivial things. So, you forget to tell her that you sold a bit of her jewellery, big huff. I emphasise with you, my friend. Women, eh?"

Fili could only stare at the man in disbelief for a long moment. Whoever this man's wife was, the dwarf felt rather sorry that she had ended up with someone who would hawk her jewellery without even asking her and without the slightest bit of regret. And that would then go and make her out to be the unreasonable one to a complete stranger. But Fili kept his face in check, clearing his throat slightly as he gave the man an unwilling nod.

"Aye. Women," he agreed, inwardly shaking his head, as the man finally handed him two keys to the guest rooms upstairs.

Meanwhile, Arinna let out a deep breath as she was sitting alone at a table on the ground floor of the town inn a while later, the guard having led them here after their finished meeting with the Master and the Elves. She was waiting for Fili to return; the dwarf having sent her off to talk and settle their stay with the innkeeper by himself when they had arrived. Though that had been quite a while ago now, she thought, wondering what was keeping him so long. She looked around the room, feeling rather exhausted but too wound up by the evening's events to even think of sleep. The ground floor of the inn was home to a small tavern, which, despite the late hour, was filled with several people who were still enjoying big pints of ale, talking and laughing among themselves.

Her gaze suddenly found Fili then, as he was slowly making his way through the crowd toward her.

"There he is," Arinna uttered dryly as he reached her, setting two tankards onto the table before her. "My husband. The apple of my eye."

He gave her a withering look. "Very funny," he said as he sat down, pushing one of the pints in front of her. She shot him a strange look, which he shrugged off. His voice was strangely formal as he addressed her directly with more than a few words for the first time in days. "Thought you might like one. I, for one, can do with a drink after today."

Arinna watched him take a large gulp of the ale and brought her own tankard to her lips, taking a small sip before she set it back down on the table. She wasn't really in the mood to be drinking. "They were talking about the others," the druid then said, looking over at Fili who only nodded. "The dwarves that escaped the Mirkwood dungeons."

"Aye, I thought so, too. It must have been Thorin and the company," Fili agreed, taking another long draw from his drink. His voice was slowly becoming less formal now as the alcohol helped him relax slightly, the tension between them melting away a little bit as they continued talking. He had missed exchanging his thoughts with hers during the past two days. "Question is, where are they now?"

"The Elves seem to think they're headed toward here," Arinna said, her fingers tapping the sides of her tankard thoughtfully. "Just like you said they would. Though I'm not sure they'll receive a warm welcome."

Fili huffed, shaking his head. "Indeed, the hospitality in this place leaves a lot to be desired," he said. "Though I have to say I rather enjoyed the earful you gave that Elf. His face was priceless."

Arinna smiled with a slight shake of her head as the dwarf chuckled momentarily to himself. They both fell silent when a young waitress approached their table, carrying two plates of food in her hands. Fili gave her a grateful smile as she placed the plates in front of them, while Arinna just shot first her and then the dwarf beside her a surprised look.

"I'm surprised the kitchen's still open at this hour," she commented once the waitress had left them. Fili gave her a small smile, the first one since the incident in the woods. Arinna felt her heart give a little flutter, though she tried to ignore it.

"It's all just a question of payment," he answered quietly, nodding toward her plate while he began to dig into his own food. His voice was almost soft when he spoke next. "Eat. You've not had a proper meal in weeks."

Arinna followed his words without protest, feeling a satisfied sigh fall from her lips as she began to eat. They ate silently for a while, neither of them speaking again before both their plates lay empty before them. Fili had finished his drink by now and was contemplating if he should go get another, when the druid pushed her own tankard toward him, still half-full. He raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, but she just gave him a short nod, indicating that she didn't intend to finish it herself.

"I think we should wait for the company here," she spoke as she watched him take a sip of ale, small traces of foam catching in his moustache before he wiped them away. "Right now, it seems that they are somewhere on the way between Mirkwood and here. And I do believe that Thorin will lead the company here, as you suggested. Let's wait until they turn up and we can join them once more."

Fili nodded his agreement; he had been thinking the same thing. By the way they had been welcomed, he was rather sure that the company had not come through the town yet. The Elves would not have sent guards ahead if they hadn't hoped to catch their escaped prisoners here. And so, Arinna and Fili agreed that they would stay for a few days and keep their eyes and ears peeled for any sign of the company. And if they hadn't turned up after three days, they would make for the mountain themselves, hoping to find them there.

They had fallen back into a more comfortable silence when someone suddenly cleared their throat beside them, and they both looked up to see a middle-aged man standing by their table. He was looking at Arinna with clouded brown eyes, no doubt having had his fill for the night already, as he swayed slightly on his feet.

"S'cuse me," he said, giving the druid a wide smile. "I've just come over 'ere to say that you are the loveliest thing in this tavern – nay, town - tonight. And I would like… I would like to buy you another drink if you… would let me."

Arinna looked at the man in surprise for a moment, unsure how to react. It took her a moment before she gave him a polite but curt smile. "Thank you," she answered. "But I'll have to pass up your offer."

The man swayed again and blinked stupidly at her, her words taking a few moments to sink in to his muddled brain. "Oh," he muttered, disappointment evident in his voice, before he leaned toward her slightly, tilting his head in question. "Are ye quite certain?"

"Yes," the druid said, still polite. "Thank you."

The drunk man hovered for another few seconds, staring at the woman before him with a dull expression on his face. "Perhaps, if -"

Arinna and the man both jumped at the sudden sound of a knife embedding itself in the table top with a sharp thunk.

"She said no."

Fili glared darkly at the drunkard whose eyes flicked toward him at his harsh tone. He'd had enough of this scene and this idiot, the dwarf thought angrily, sending the man a dangerous look as he kept his hand wrapped around the hilt of his dagger. The wood had splintered from the impact of his blade. "You would do well to take your leave now," he said with a dangerous calm. "Or else I will have to make you."

"Alright, alright. Dinna know she was spoken for," babbled the man quickly, raising his hands at the dwarf placatingly, as he looked from the knife to his face, stumbling with his own movement. There was no doubt that there was true intent behind the dwarf's words. He gave a slow nod, turning away from their table and making his way back to the counter, muttering to himself.

Fili watched him go with narrowed eyes, before he swiftly re-sheathed his dagger and took another large sip from the tankard before him, turning his gaze away. He could feel the anger still bubbling in his stomach, though he was trying not to let it show on his face. He could feel the druid's gaze rest heavily on him.

"There was no need for you to threaten him," she spoke quietly, and Fili slightly rolled his eyes at her words, which she registered with a quiet huff. "I'm sure he meant no harm, he's just drunk."

"I'll threaten whom I please," the dwarf answered in a deep rumble, causing the druid beside him to shake her head at him. It wasn't as though he was proud for letting his temper run away with him like that, but he certainly wasn't going to apologise for taking care of a man that had been bothering her. "For all he knows, he's trying it on with a woman who is sitting beside her husband. But that is not the point. He should simply learn to accept a no as a no. As others also have."

Arinna's brows drew together at the strange statement and she looked at Fili questioningly, waiting for him to elaborate, but the dwarf's gaze was set on the inside of his tankard. He was refusing to look at her. What could he possibly mean by that, she thought. She wanted to ask him, though Fili quickly spoke again before she could even utter a word.

"It's late. I think we should get some sleep," he said, setting his empty tankard on the table and standing abruptly. His tone had changed suddenly, his voice now cool and distant once more. Arinna had no choice but to follow him, not wanting to stay down in the tavern by herself, as he led the way through the slowly emptying hall, up the stairs to where the inn's guest rooms were. He didn't look at her as he spoke. "I got us two rooms. This one's yours. I'll see you in the morning."

Arinna couldn't help another deep frown at the dwarf's sudden changed behaviour, as he pressed the key to her room into her hand and made to walk off. She had thought that they were slowly working past the awkwardness between them when they had been talking again this evening, but evidently, she had been wrong. "Where will you be?" She asked him and Fili pointed to a door further down the hall.

"Number 7," he replied curtly and nodded at her, not bothering to say goodnight before he walked away. Arinna watched him retreat for a few seconds, before she entered her room with a deep sigh, unable to shake the frustration she felt at Fili's behaviour.

She let her pack drop into a corner of the room, feeling how incredibly light it had become during their journey through Mirkwood. They had been lucky to escape the forest when they did, Arinna dreaded to think how much further they would have made it with no food or drink. The druid took a moment to look around the room then, finding it to be furnished with little effort but practically. It had everything she needed. There was a comfortable looking bed, a small wardrobe, though Arinna had nothing to hang in it, leaving her torn and dirty cloak to hang over one of the chairs.

Seeing a large bucket of water and some soap standing in a slightly separated corner of the room, she walked toward it swiftly, taking off her layers as she began to clean herself. The water was cold, but Arinna didn't mind, scrubbing at her skin and hair and relishing at feeling clean again after weeks' worth of dirt slowly came off her.

She was shivering when she had finished and quickly put her breeches and tunic back on to get a little warmer. The water in the bucket had turned brown by now and the druid scrunched up her nose in slight disgust as she ran her hand through her now wet but clean hair, drying it slightly by wringing it out several times and brushing her fingers through it. She got up and laid down on the bed then, sighing at the feeling of a soft mattress beneath her. It was certainly more comfort than she had had in weeks, sleeping on the ground, Arinna thought as she pulled the blanket over her, yet she couldn't say that she enjoyed it entirely. She remembered the nights she had spent snuggled up against the blond dwarf in the darkness, feeling warm and safe in his embrace.

What had he meant? The thought came back to her unwillingly as she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling above her. She frowned, unable to shake the sound of his voice repeating in her head, "As others also have.".

The druid huffed, turning onto her side as she tried to empty her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to banish the blond dwarf from her thoughts, but her efforts to fall asleep proved unsuccessful. Her thoughts kept coming back to the same thing without her permission, the four words that Fili had said to her that evening and his infuriating behaviour the past few days.

The druid didn't know how much time had passed when she reluctantly opened her eyes again, feeling more awake than before and knowing that she wouldn't find any sleep like this tonight. She pulled the sheets back and sat up slowly, letting out a deep, frustrated sigh as she swung her legs out of the bed.

"Curse that dwarf," she muttered angrily to herself as she made her way to the door.


	19. If only for a moment

**Happy Sunday with this new chapter. Thank you so much to purple-pygmy-puff16 and Little Bucky for your reviews! Sorry, I left you hanging with the last one, this one should make up for that ;) Let me know your thoughts!**

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Fili was lying on his back, unable to find any sleep. His thoughts were whirling in his head, keeping him awake, and he couldn't help but feel the absence of the druid in his arms. Though they had slept apart from each other for the last two nights already, he had gotten used to her being around him at night. It was strange to have her be somewhere else entirely, several doors down the hall. He knew that she was safe and had a warm place to sleep, though, and that was what mattered most. Perhaps this was for the best, he thought miserably to himself, it was probably about time that he stopped his inappropriate behaviour with her.

He knew that he shouldn't have reacted the way he did in the tavern that evening, though he had been unable to stop his anger at the man's behaviour. He would have to keep his emotions in check in the future, he told himself with a sigh. Indeed, he would have to make an effort to do so while talking to her normally again. It had been nice to have a proper conversation with her that evening, and Fili was fully aware that it had been his fault that there had been almost complete silence between them for the past two days. He didn't mean for that, and he knew that if he kept going on like this, he would probably drive her away completely. And he didn't want to lose her friendship, as well. If he could not be with her romantically, the way he wanted to, then it would be enough to have her as a friend at least. Like before, when he had been still blissfully oblivious of his feelings for her. Things had been much easier back then, he thought with another sigh.

He jumped when there was a sudden sharp knock at his door and he sat up quickly on the bed, picking up the dagger that he had put on his night stand for emergencies. Who would come knocking this late at night? Fili had thought that they would be safe here tonight, and he certainly didn't want any trouble. Was it the innkeeper? But he had paid for the rooms in advance, as the man had insisted. Perhaps the drunkard from earlier, looking to start a fight after all?

Another impatient knock sounded at the door and Fili drew his eyebrows together as he got off the bed, slowly making his way over to the door as he gripped the dagger tightly in his palm.

"Who's there?" He asked suspiciously through the wood, his blade held securely at his side in case he needed to be quick about it.

"It's me."

Fili's face scrunched up in confusion at the familiar voice that had answered him from the other side and he swiftly unlocked his door, pulling it open to find Arinna standing on his doorstep. She was barefoot and clad in only her breeches and tunic. Her clothes were still dirty, but he noticed that she had washed, her face and hair now clean as she stood before him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What are you doing here? Do you realise the time?" He asked her with a deep frown, shooting a small glance down the empty hallway. There was nobody else around.

"You seem perfectly awake. Can I come inside or are you going to stab me?" The druid retorted, nodding toward the dagger he still held in his hand. Fili shot her a slightly annoyed look at her snarky tone, though he took a step aside to let her pass, still confused as to why she was not sleeping soundly in her own room.

"One can never be too careful," was all he said as he closed the door behind her and put his weapon down on a small commode beside him. He turned to see her standing in the middle of the room, her arms still crossed in front of her as she looked at him with what Fili recognised as anger. His confusion only grew. "What are you doing here? Did something happen? Are you alright?"

"What did you mean?"

Fili gave her a bewildered look. "What?"

"Downstairs, earlier. You said the strangest thing," Arinna replied, her voice tense as she gave him a pointed look. It took Fili a second to catch up with what she was talking about. "You said that man should learn to accept a no as a no,_as others also have_. What did you mean by that? What others?"

"That's what this is about?" Fili asked her with a slight huff, trying to suppress the uncomfortable feeling bubbling in his stomach at her questions. He knew exactly what he had meant, of course, that he himself had accepted her rejection, as well. Though he could hardly tell her that, for she didn't know that there had been feelings to reject in the first place. So, he resorted to trying to make light of the situation, thinking that her reaction to his words seemed a little exaggerated after all.

"Just tell me what you meant, Fili," the druid answered, obviously angered by his dismissive tone. "It's been nagging at me all evening and for the life of me, I cannot make sense of it. Who were you referring to?"

"No one in particular," the dwarf lied with a shrug. "I just meant it in a general manner."

Arinna stared at him for a moment, while Fili cleared his throat loudly and crossed his own arms over his chest defensively. He could hardly stand her intent gaze as she frowned at him. He stepped from one foot to the other, as she spoke. "You are not making any sense."

"_I'm _not making any sense?" The blond dwarf retorted, looking at her with raised eyebrows. "Arinna, you're the one storming into my room in the middle of the night because of an inanity. I didn't mean anything by it. Really, I don't see why you got yourself in such a state over it, perhaps it's best you get some sleep to clear your head."

The druid let out an exasperated sigh, as she uncrossed her arms and raised them at her sides, underlining her frustration with him as she spoke. "Why must you be this way? I cannot keep up with you, Fili. One minute you're perhaps the loveliest dwarf alive and the next you behave as though the whole world somehow offends you, most of all me."

The blond dwarf tried to move swiftly past her calling him the loveliest dwarf alive, feeling his heart give a little flutter at her words, and instead focused on the second part of her sentence. He sighed quietly, trying to make his voice sound more friendly as he answered this time. He had not meant to hurt her feelings, after all. "You do not offend me, Arinna."

"You've barely spoken a word to me in the past two days, Fili, forgive me if I doubt the truth of your words," Arinna hissed and Fili dropped his head as she continued talking, her sudden rage driving her on as she glared at him. "This is just what I mean. You are so contradictory, it drives me mad. You say one thing, but your actions speak otherwise and then other times your actions seem to… seem to mean something but your words contradict them."

"Now what is that supposed to mean?" Fili demanded, knowing that she was likely correct with her claim, considering his recent behaviour, but still feeling slightly offended by it.

"I thought there was… I thought there was a _moment_," she breathed exasperatedly, feeling suddenly exhausted as she turned her gaze away from him, a lump starting to build in her throat. She should not have come to see him, she realised now. It had been a bad, impulsive idea and she had managed to talk herself into a corner that she didn't want to be in. And yet, her mouth kept going without her permission. "In the forest, that night. I thought there was a moment when… oh, forget it."

Fili's eyes were wide and set intently on her as she trailed off entirely, shaking her head to herself. She did not look at him and it took the dwarf an agonising few seconds to make sense of her implications, and to realise that perhaps he had been wrong all this time. Arinna didn't know what her actions meant to him, but maybe that didn't mean that they had meant nothing at all? Maybe he had been too quick to reject the idea that she would ever reciprocate his affections because… well, why, exactly? What was it that he was so afraid of? Though he had been thinking about this exact topic all night, Fili didn't manage to come up with an answer as he stared at her, standing alone in the middle of the room, with the low firelight illuminating her form. Instead he felt his heart give a hard, demanding tug in his chest.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," Arinna sighed finally, her voice barely more than a whisper as she still did not look at him. She made to move past him toward the door, her head held low. Her voice was small as she spoke. "You're right, I should get some sleep. I'll -"

Fili reacted entirely out of instinct, grabbing her by the arm before she could move out of his reach.

"There _was_a moment," he interrupted, his eyes searching her face as her gaze flew toward him in utter surprise. Perhaps there was a chance that she felt the same as him, he thought almost desperately, as he realised that if he said nothing now, that chance might pass him by forever. He did not think he could live with that, he realised. Fili let out a deep breath, his hand unknowingly pulling her closer as he held her gaze, his words suddenly running away with him before he could put them in any sort of order.

"You're right. That night…" he muttered, his voice a low rumble. "There was a moment… when I wanted to kiss you. Though I've wanted to kiss you many moments before that and every single one since. I don't think you realise the effect that you have on me, Arinna, the fire that wakes within me at your touch. The way your smile makes my heart feel lighter and how you manage to make me laugh even when I feel no joy otherwise. Do you know that when we were starving our way through Mirkwood, the thing that bothered me most was that I could not provide for you? That I had no way of helping you. I would happily have gone hungry by myself if it had meant that you could have eaten something."

"Fili -"

"Do you know that I did not dread the nights in the forest so much, because I was holding you close to me?" Fili cut over her, unable to stop himself now as she stared at him with wide watery eyes. His grip was almost uncomfortably tight on her upper arm. "That I feel at peace when you are near me? And that I would rather die a thousand deaths than see any harm come to you? So, no, Arinna… you do not _offend _me. You could never offend me. You are the single most beautiful thing I have ever been lucky enough to behold. The most courageous, lovable, infuriatingly stubborn woman I have ever met. And I love… I love you. With everything I have and everything I am, and I don't think I can ever stop."

Fili halted, out of words and breath, and he was breathing heavily as he looked at her. Arinna was staring up at him and it was only now that he saw the wet tracks on her cheeks, realising that she was crying silently. He released her arm, his hand coming up to wipe helplessly at her tears, though he didn't know what to say. But it was the druid who spoke next.

"No," she whispered, her own hand catching Fili's and pulling it away from her face. The dwarf's eyes searched her face, fearful and nervous. "I didn't know any of these things, Fili."

She felt the dwarf release a shuddering breath and before he could say anything else, Arinna let go of his hand and moved forward, grabbing his face between her hands. Fili stared at her as she stood as close to him as she could and then she slowly pulled his face towards hers, her lips catching his in a soft kiss.

Arinna felt her stomach flutter as she kissed Fili, his lips feeling soft against hers while his beard slightly scratched against her face. She felt one of his arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her closer, gently returning her kiss, while his other hand found its way to the back of her neck. The druid pulled back slightly after a few moments, her green eyes looking up at the dwarf thoughtfully.

"Fili," she breathed against his lips as her thumbs brushed over his bearded cheeks. She couldn't help but smile happily as he let his forehead lean against hers, breathing in slowly. "You've been my first thought when I wake up and my last before I fall asleep. And while you might just be the most vexing man I've ever met, you're also the one that I love."

She felt the dwarf let out a deep sigh, before he pulled her flush against him, holding her in a tight hug. The druid's smile softened as she laid her head against his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his middle. "With all my heart."

They stood in a silent embrace for a few long moments, both of them smiling to themselves before Fili pulled back slowly, his hands moving from her back to her arms and up to her face. He basked in Arinna's smile as his thumb traced over the line of her jaw and then the corner of her mouth. He leaned back in then, pulling her into a passionate kiss. She sighed against him as he drew her against his chest, deepening the kiss as her arms wrapped around his neck, seeking to get even closer. Fili moved forward then and Arinna stumbled backwards with him, not interrupting their kiss until she felt her back bump into the wall.

They pulled apart, breathing heavily and Arinna looked up at the blond dwarf with wide eyes before her hands dropped to the collar of his tunic and she pulled him back in, sealing his lips with hers again. She heard his quiet groan, feeling it rumble through his chest, as she pressed against him. Their kiss grew bolder and more ardent and Arinna felt her knees buckle slightly beneath her as Fili kissed her with a passion that she had never known. She sighed when his lips moved away from hers, and again when he began placing soft kisses all over her face. He had begun to slow and Arinna opened her eyes slowly after he had placed a last, gentle kiss on her lips.

Fili brought his hands up to her face as he looked at her, his thumbs brushing softly over her cheekbones. He shook his head slightly to himself, still in awe of what had just happened. "I love you," he breathed again, feeling his heart feel lighter with every time he said it out loud. He suddenly felt foolish for not having realised his feelings much sooner, for not having told her as soon as he had known, for almost denying himself the chance of being with her without even having tried. Her green eyes were twinkling in the low light as she returned his gaze. "I'm sorry I was being off with you these past few days. I just… I never thought you'd feel the same as me. So, I tried to keep my distance."

"You should have just said something," Arinna said, pushing slightly against his chest but instead of letting him fall away, she grabbed hold of his tunic to keep him close. "I can't stand it when you don't talk to me."

Fili nodded, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Can't say I much enjoyed it myself. I'm sorry, Arinna."

"You are forgiven," the druid smiled.

They remained standing close to each other for a few moments, Fili's thumbs still grazing softly over her cheeks as he leaned his forehead against hers. Arinna let out a small sigh when he finally pulled back.

"Don't go back to your room tonight," he said quietly and Arinna just shook her head, knowing that she would sleep much better by his side anyway. Fili smiled and softly pulled her away from the wall toward the bed. They settled on it comfortably, both still in their dirty travelling clothes, though neither of them minded.

Arinna settled in the crook of Fili's arm while he lay on his back, pulling the wool blanket over their legs, before she leaned over him. Fili's eyes were twinkling in the dim candlelight as he returned her gaze, raising his free hand to her face once more to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His hand travelled from there to her neck, where his fingers traced the silver chain that hung from it. She was leaning so close to him that the silver leaf at its end was brushing against his chest. Fili smiled as his fingers closed around the chain and he carefully pulled her head down closer to him, until he was able to capture her lips with his once more.

He sighed contentedly when she pulled away and set her head on his chest, one hand rising up to rest beside it, her fingers tracing small patterns over the fabric of his tunic.

"Sleep now, nungê," Fili murmured, slightly tightening his hold around her waist. A small grin appeared on his face then and he could barely believe how happy he was. "And I'll drift off to sleep happily, knowing that I'll be your first thought when you wake up tomorrow."

"I should never have told you that," Arinna grumbled against him. "Your head's already as big as your waist."

The druid smiled to herself while Fili's chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. She nestled a little closer to him still, feeling his chuckle turn into another contented sigh, before she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.


	20. The lord of silver fountains

**Happy Sunday, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thanks very much to purple-pygmy-puff16 and BrySt1 for your reviews, let me know what you think of this one!**

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Arinna woke with the light of the sun falling on her face, feeling rested and warm. She opened her eyes slowly, seeing the sunlight fall through the small window of the room. It must have been close to midday already, she thought with a small sigh. Her thoughts brought her back to the events of the previous night, and she felt Fili's arm rest heavily around her waist, while his chest rose and fell slowly beneath her head. The druid smiled silently to herself, almost unable to believe that what had happened was actually real. She raised her head slightly, looking up at the dwarf's face and noticing with surprise that his eyes were open, and he was staring right back at her with a gentle expression on his face.

"You're awake," she stated quietly, and Fili hummed in reply, the sound reverberating through his chest. The sound filled her with an unknown warmth.

"Aye," he answered after another moment, his voice a little deeper than usual and still tinged with sleep. "Have been for a little while."

"You could have woken me," Arinna said, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. Fili merely smiled. He brought one hand to her face, gently brushing her hair away from it and smoothing his thumb over her brow. Arinna leaned into his touch, making his smile broaden slightly.

"And why on earth would I do that?"

"So that we don't waste half the day in bed?" The druid retorted with a smile of her own, causing Fili to smirk.

"How could spending my day in bed with you ever be a waste of my time?" He chuckled and Arinna rolled her eyes slightly, though she leaned forward to press a small kiss to his exposed collarbone. Fili's hold tightened around her and he let out a contended sigh as she pulled back. She brought her head level with his then and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, which he returned eagerly. They remained in their embrace for a little while and as Arinna leaned her head back against his shoulder, her hand was moving freely over Fili's chest, up toward a braid that was splayed on it. She mindlessly let her fingers brush over the clasp at its end, marvelling at the intricate engraving that adorned it. There was some sort of runes on it, she realised, though she could not read them, remembering that Fili had earned this particular braid for his first victory in battle.

"It's beautiful," she muttered, feeling the dwarf sigh quietly beneath her as her index finger gently traced over the clasp. "So detailed and intricate."

"I need you to know something," Fili answered and Arinna looked up at him in slight surprise. His tone was unexpectedly serious as he gazed at her with a strange expression on his face. She gave him a small nod, indicating that she was listening. Fili cleared his throat slightly, trying to find the right words. "I need you not to touch anyone else the way you are touching me right now."

Arinna frowned. "I don't intend to touch any other person the way I touch you, Fili."

The dwarf quickly shook his head, realising that he had not brought his point across at all. "No, that's not what I mean," he said, clearing his throat. "Although, yes, that too. But what I mean to say is that… for us - for dwarves, I mean - the touching of someone's hair and braids is… well, it's rather _intimate_."

Fili's face reddened slightly as the druid raised her head to look at him properly, her eyes resting silently on him as she slowly processed his words. "But I have touched your hair before," she finally uttered after a few more moments of confused silence, the small frown still in place on her forehead.

The dwarf's blush deepened as he returned her gaze and saw one of her eyebrows move upwards, understanding flooding her eyes at his meaningful silence. Her mouth dropped open. "You mean this whole time I was…? Oh dear, Fili, why did you never say anything? My actions must have seemed so inappropriate! I'm sorry, if I knew, I would never have -"

"I didn't want you to stop," Fili interrupted softly, a small smile tugging at his lips as the druid fell silent and just stared at him in surprise. "That's why I never told you. Perhaps that was selfish of me and perhaps… no, I definitely should have told you sooner. You have nothing to apologise for. I enjoy every touch from your hands, but I only truly realised that I would never want to miss your touch from my hair or my braids in Mirkwood. And then, that night, when you… when we almost… - well, let's just say I would only have you touch me like that."

Arinna stared at Fili for a little while, taking in his words with amazement. She had never even thought about the possibility of her touching his hair being so meaningful. Although she now wondered, why she had never had any reservations reaching for it in the first place. She could not remember ever having acted similarly toward any other member of the company, though she was now very glad for that. Who knew what would have happened had she accidentally touched Dwalin's beard, or something of the sort? She couldn't help a small giggle escaping her at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Fili asked, thinking that she was laughing at something he had said. The druid shook her head, a smile still playing on her face.

"I am merely glad that it was you whom I decided to touch so… _intimately_," she said. "I can't imagine what might have happened if it had been someone else, like Dwalin or Balin."

Now Fili chuckled as well, imagining the old dwarves' faces in such a situation. "I think they might have keeled over of shock right on the spot if you did something like that."

"You mean, something like this?" she then muttered, moving swiftly away from her thoughts, as her hand reached up and gave one of his moustache braids a very small, gentle pull, before her fingers moved away and brushed across his cheek. Fili's eyes had darkened slightly at the action, his laughter dying on his lips as he let out a low sound, a kind of hum of agreement. Arinna was smiling when he suddenly moved and rolled them over, coming to lean over her as her hand fell from his face.

It was the druid's turn to blush now, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he gazed at her passionately. Fili leaned down and captured her lips with an ardent kiss, feeling her hand finding its way to the back of his neck, trying to keep him close. Arinna sighed into their kiss, before Fili finally pulled back. He looked at her lovingly as she drew in a deep breath of air.

"I promise you, I will never touch anyone else like this," Arinna finally muttered, her eyes filled with light and love, and his heart gave an excited flutter in his chest. He felt her give his moustache another playful tug, while a small giggle broke from her lips. Fili couldn't help but chuckle himself as he felt her body resonate with her laughter beneath him. He pressed another kiss to her lips, both of them still laughing quietly when she returned it.

He finally moved off her then, as she pushed slightly at his chest, and the druid laughed at his disgruntled expression as she got up.

"We can't stay in bed all day, Fili, much as I'd like to. I think we should use our time to explore the town," she said, more serious now, as she made her way to the door to head to her own room. "We can't expect to find the others when they come through here if we spend all day in this room. I'll meet you downstairs in thirty minutes."

"I don't need thirty minutes," Fili interjected, sitting up on the bed now and looking at her with raised eyebrows as she withheld a grin.

"I just thought maybe you wanted to take some time to wash."

Fili narrowed his eyes at her, though feeling amused rather than offended. "Are you saying that I smell, my love?"

The druid smiled at his term of endearment, which quickly turned into a small grin as she looked at him from where she was leaning against the doorframe. "I would never," she uttered innocently, and Fili gave a short nod, before she continued. "I think the flies gathering around you when you go outside like this will speak for themselves."

She winked at him as his mouth dropped open slightly and was out the door before he could react properly to her words. Fili's gaze rested on the closed door for a moment longer and he shook his head to himself, barely able to believe how much their situation had changed from one day to the next. And though there were still some thoughts worrying him at the back of his mind - about whether they would actually manage to find the company, about how his uncle would react when he found out about his relationship with Arinna, and about his little brother, whom he hadn't seen in weeks and for whom he couldn't help but worry - for the moment, his heart was full.

He made his way down the stairs a little while later, somewhat cleaner now though his clothes were still dirty. Fili looked around the mostly empty tavern and saw Arinna sat at a table by the window, before he swiftly walked up to her, noticing the two plates before her.

"How did you get them to make us breakfast this late?" The dwarf asked in surprise as he sat down and looked at the plate of bread and eggs before him, feeling his stomach rumble quietly at the sight. Arinna sent him a small smile over the tip of her fork.

"Sometimes charm is just as effective as money."

Fili tilted his head appreciatively before he began to eat, as well. They finished their breakfast quickly and then set out. A low fog hung over the town that day as Fili and Arinna made their way through the streets, which were busy now with people going about their daily business. It was clear to see that Esgaroth was not the rich and plentiful town that it once had been, and that Fili remembered from his uncle's stories. People were clad in old and torn clothes, most of the houses partly dilapidated. Fili and Arinna followed the wooden paths, slowly familiarising themselves with the layout of the town as they watched the people around them.

Arinna was walking two steps behind Fili when they came upon a small marketplace and the druid looked around, noticing with some surprise a certain number of guards patrolling the square. She felt the eyes of the merchants rest heavily and curiously on her and Fili as they slowly made their way along the stalls.

"Arinna," she heard Fili say after a while and quickly walked over to where he was standing by one of the stalls, turning something small over in his hand. He held it up for her to see when she arrived by his side. "You said you were looking for a comb, remember?"

The druid smiled slightly, taking the comb from Fili. It was plain and artless but would certainly be enough to untangle her hair. Arinna nodded and handed a few coins to the merchant, slipping the comb into her pocket. She turned her head toward Fili as she put it away, speaking quietly. "Do you get the feeling that they're watching us?"

"Yes," the blond dwarf answered simply, shooting her a meaningful look. "More than that, I saw a man earlier who gave me the strangest look. Made me think that perhaps I wasn't the first dwarf he's seen in these parts."

"Where did you see him?" Arinna asked as Fili linked her arm with his, pulling her further along the stalls. He had recognised the suspicious guard from the night before patrolling the square, sending the two of them narrow-eyed looks from a little distance away. Fili didn't want to raise any more unnecessary suspicion, so he pretended as though they were just two people out to shop as he quietly answered the druid's question.

"Close to the inn. I think he was going into some kind of shop," he said. "But I lost sight of him after that."

The druid nodded her understanding, while Fili continued to move through the market, pretending to look at things. They continued to speak quietly while they stopped at a few more stalls, where they bought thicker coats and fresh clothes for themselves, their own travelling attire looking worse for wear and too thin to protect them effectively against the cold winds that swept over the lake. It was late afternoon when they were on their way back to the inn without any proper clue as to the whereabouts of the company, walking past a group of people, when Arinna heard it.

"There were dwarves, I tell you," a woman was saying, and the druid reached for Fili's hand, pulling him to an abrupt stop. "Appeared out of nowhere. Full beards, fierce eyes; I've never seen the like."

"What are dwarves doing in these parts?" Asked one of the men she was talking to, frowning at her words.

It was an older man that answered him, the third of the small group. "It's the prophecy, I tell you."

Arinna exchanged a look with Fili, whose eyes were wide, and he followed her as she made her way quickly over to the group of people, receiving suspicious looks herself, before their gazes fell on Fili and their eyes widened slightly. "We're sorry to interrupt," said the druid politely, though she felt her heart beat nervously in her chest. "You said you saw dwarves. Can you tell us where you saw them?"

The woman who had been telling the story looked at the smaller woman before her for a long moment, before she answered. "In the marketplace, earlier today. Why? Are they friends of yours?"

"They are our kin," Fili said from beside her, his expression serious but polite as he addressed the group. "We lost them on the road here. Do you know where they went?"

"No," said the woman simply and Arinna let out a frustrated sigh, while Fili inclined his head slightly. The woman gave him a long, hard look. "Is it true then? You are their kin, surely you must know. Has the lord of silver fountains returned?"

"The lord of silver fountains?" Fili repeated slowly, confusion written clearly over his face. He had no idea what the woman was talking about, but it was in fact the old man who answered him.

"The prophecy of Durin's folk," he said and Arinna felt Fili stiffen slightly beside her at the mention of his family's name. She was looking at the old man with quiet interest. "You'd think a dwarf would know the tale. It goes like this: _The lord of silver fountains, the king of carven stone, the king beneath the mountain shall come into his own. And the bells shall ring in gladness at the mountain king's return._"

"But all shall fail in sadness and the lake will shine and burn," added the second man beside him, looking grim, while the old man just shrugged. "You're conveniently leaving out the last part, as usual."

Neither Fili nor Arinna knew how to respond to this. They had merely wanted to inquire after their friends and were now suddenly confronted with an old prophecy, that was apparently occupying the minds of the townsfolk and that quite clearly concerned Thorin.

Fili sighed, his gaze drifting over the group. "You can't tell us anything else then?" He asked, and they shook their heads in unison. The dwarf nodded, rather disappointed by the outcome of this conversation. Still, he gave the group a quick smile. "Well, thank you. For speaking with us. Have a good evening."

And with that he took the druid beside him by the hand again, pulling her away from the group before they could say or ask anything else. The dwarf felt their heavy gazes rest on his back as they made their way to the inn. Neither of them said anything until quite a while later, when they were sitting side by side at a table in the tavern on the ground floor, both of them having taken some time to try and gather their thoughts.

"Well, at least we know they're here," Arinna offered half-heartedly, not feeling the optimism that she was trying to get across to Fili. He was holding her hand on the table top, his fingers mindlessly playing with hers. "I doubt there's a second company of dwarves stumbling around these parts of Middle-Earth right now."

"Yes, but we don't know where," the dwarf spoke quietly, his voice tense as he uttered his thoughts out loud. "Or for how long. They were in the marketplace… and we missed them. What if they've already departed for the mountain by now? Should we go? Or should we stay and wait?"

"I don't know," was all the druid could say in return. She was lost for what to do, just as much as he was. Fili let out a deep sigh.

"And what of that prophecy the old man was talking about? It must be referring to Thorin."

Arinna leaned her shoulder against Fili's with a sigh, she did not have an answer to any of his questions, the same thoughts turning in her own mind. "I'll admit that didn't sound very encouraging," she muttered, recalling the prophecy's last words. "_The lake will shine and burn_. But prophecies are fickle things, Fili. Most of them hold no truth. There's no saying that this one does."

"Perhaps. Still, it's weighing on my mind," answered Fili, releasing a heavy breath. He had turned the topic over in his head a few times, unable to figure out what to make of it or what they should do next. He turned his head slightly, his nose brushing against the top of the druid's head as he changed the topic for a moment to something else that he had been thinking about. "I would like to place a braid in your hair."

Arinna lifted her head at the sudden change in subject and looked at Fili questioningly. "A braid for only you to touch?" She jested quietly, and he gave her a soft smile and a slight tilt of his head.

"Aye, if you will," he chuckled, before he elaborated in a low voice. "Behind your left ear. If I may."

"A courting braid?" Arinna remembered him mentioning it that fateful night in the forest, though she was rather surprised that he was bringing it up now that they had been worrying about entirely other things. Fili just nodded, waiting patiently for her answer as she thought for a second and then smiled back at him. "Of course, you may, Fili. I would like that."

The dwarf happily pulled her closer into his side, placing a small kiss on her temple. Arinna chuckled quietly. Fili was about to say something else, when they suddenly heard a commotion from outside. They both looked up, seeing people rushing past the tavern windows, talking excitedly and calling out to each other. They watched the scene for a moment.

"What do you suppose that's about?" Fili asked and Arinna gave him a small nudge as she got up off her seat, causing him to do the same as he followed her to the door.

"I suggest we find out for ourselves," the druid said as they wrapped themselves in their new coats and followed the mass of people down the streets. Arinna heard a bunch of different calls mingle together and managed to distinguish something about thieves, while other people were again talking of the lord of silver fountains. They let themselves be moved along with the wave of townspeople until they came to a familiar place.

Fili grabbed Arinna's hand so as not to lose her in the scramble, as they arrived at the small square in front of the Master's house, which was filled with the people of Lake Town. It seemed the whole town was awake. It was hard to see what all the commotion was about though, as the men and women around them were all taller than themselves and Fili only slowly managed to push his way through the crowd, trying to get to the front of the line.

"What is the meaning of this?" A loud voice boomed over the square and Fili recognised it as the Master's immediately. The man was standing at the top of the stairs that led up to his house, looking out over the crowd with a disgruntled look on his face. It was then that Fili and Arinna finally managed to make their way to the centre of the spectacle and their eyes widened in shock as they beheld the scene before them.

"We caught 'em stealing weapons, sire!" A guard said, the same one that had led Fili and Arinna to the Master the night before and that he had seen in the marketplace that afternoon. Fili was gaining more and more of a disliking to the man who stood in front of a company of dwarves and one hobbit, addressing the Master while his men were pointing their weapons at the group.

Fili couldn't believe his eyes as he saw them all standing there, thirteen familiar faces in the crowd, though none of them had even noticed him or the druid yet as they struggled against the guards' hold and were glaring up at the Master and his right hand, Alfrid, who had come to join him on the stairs. Most of them were wearing different clothes than Fili remembered last seeing them in, and all of them looked rather dishevelled.

"Ah, enemies of the state, then," growled the Master, nodding at the leader of the guard.

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire," agreed Alfrid quickly and the dwarves called out angrily in protest, until one voice rang out over the lot of them and Fili saw Dwalin take a step forward, his gaze set firmly on the greasy looking Alfrid.

"Hold your tongue!" He barked at the Lakeman, who abruptly fell silent, raising one hand to point at the person behind him. "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal; this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"

Fili felt his heart almost burst with relief as he watched his uncle step forward, while the crowd began to whisper in shock and recognition around them. Amazed murmurs ran over the square and Fili felt Arinna give his hand a hard squeeze. He didn't have to look over at her to know that she felt the same relief that he did at seeing all their friends alive and well - if in a bit of trouble.

"We are the dwarves of Erebor," Thorin spoke loudly, addressing not only the Master but everyone around him. "We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbour, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake, this was the centre of all trade in the North! I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

As the people cheered and clapped around them, Fili couldn't help but stare at his uncle in awe. He spoke with such authority and regality, capturing the people with every word. He wanted to call out to him then, make himself known to him and the rest of the company but it was another voice that suddenly cut through the ranks of people, stopping him in his tracks.

"Death!" A tall man shouted as he made his way through the crowd, staring accusingly at Thorin, who looked rather unimpressed. Fili recognised the man as the one he had seen by the inn earlier that day, the one that had sent him that odd look. "That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon fire and ruin! If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."

"You can listen to this naysayer," Thorin exclaimed over the anxious whispers of the crowd, sending the man before him a pointed look. It was clear to Fili that they knew each other already. "But I promise you this; if we succeed, _all_will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

"All of you! Listen to me!" Called the tall Lakeman. "You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?! Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!"

As he listened to the man's words, Fili felt Arinna stiffen slightly beside him. He could only imagine that his speech was rousing images in her head of her father's village, disappearing in a wall of fire falling from the sky. Similar images were building in the back of his own mind. He gave her hand an encouraging squeeze as he listened.

"And for what purpose?" The man continued loudly. "The blind ambition of a mountain king so riven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!"

The cries and calls of the crowd got louder around them, and Fili saw his uncle and the man stare angrily at each other, before the Master suddenly spoke again, his voice carrying a spiteful tone as he addressed the man.

"Now, now, Bard," he uttered. "We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, _your ancestor_, who failed to kill the beast!"

"It is true, sire!" Alfrid hurried to agree and again, though he did not support Bard's claims against his uncle, Fili couldn't help but feel a strong dislike toward both of them. "We all know the story. Arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark."

Thorin turned away from Bard with a dark look when the man said nothing in return, obviously taken aback by the Master's accusation. The dwarf-king brought his attention to the Master and his assistant. "I speak to the Master of the men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?"

The crowd watched in anticipation, as did Fili and Arinna, while Alfrid now directed his words at the dwarf-king. "But why should we take you at your word, eh? You may be the dwarves of Erebor, but we know nothing about you. Who here can vouch for your character?"

Thorin's face fell slightly at the suspicious response and there lay a long silence over the square before a small voice finally spoke up and Fili turned his head to see none other than Bilbo shyly raising his hand. "Me!" The hobbit called, clearing his throat so his voice would carry more weight. "I'll vouch for him. Now, I have travelled far with these dwarves through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word… then he will keep it. I vouch for him."

The dwarf-king looked over and gave the hobbit a small grateful smile, when another voice suddenly rang over the crowd and his eyes widened in recognition.

"And I," the familiar voice spoke loudly and Thorin's eyes darted, searching desperately, over the crowd until they suddenly found the face that belonged to it, the face of his eldest nephew. He felt his breath falter as he saw Fili standing among the townsfolk, alive and well, and looking straight at him.

"And I," agreed the woman standing beside him, and Thorin closed his eyes for a second as he felt a wave of pure relief rush through his body. For a moment, everything else around him was forgotten, even the Master and this whole discussion, as he looked at the two missing members of his company. He heard the others gasp and yell out in shock and joy as they saw Fili and Arinna standing among the people. They rushed toward them and pulled them into tight hugs, completely ignoring the protests of the guards who did not know how to react. Thorin watched for a few moments, one hand brushing over his mouth before he finally turned back to the Master of Lake Town.

"Well, what say you?" He asked calmly, watching as his voice drew the Master's gaze away from the commotion that his companions were now causing. The Lakeman thought for several seconds, before he smiled and pointed his long, dirty finger at the dwarf-king.

"I say unto you… welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!"

Thorin inclined his head as the crowd around him erupted in loud cheers, applauding the Master's decision, before he turned back around. He shot Bard one last look as he moved past him toward his companions. He managed to get a hold of Fili just as Kili was releasing his brother from a long hug. He grabbed his nephew by the shoulders, his hands digging into them as he stared at him in disbelief. Fili was returning his gaze out of watery eyes and Thorin pulled him in, leaning his forehead against his nephew's with a deep sigh, before he pulled him into a firm hug.

"I thought we'd lost you," he murmured roughly, feeling his emotions threaten to run away with him as he embraced Fili. He had feared he'd never see him again after having lost all trace of him in Mirkwood and being captured by the Elves and he knew that Kili had been feeling much the same, as they had been robbed of any possibility to look for him. "We could find no trace of you after you fell into the river."

"I thought the same," Fili replied thickly as they pulled apart, smiling happily at his uncle. "Arinna pulled me out of the water and watched over me while I was unconscious for two days."

Thorin held his nephew's gaze for another long moment before he gave his shoulders another affectionate squeeze and let go, his gaze drifting over to where his other nephew was keeping the druid in a tight hold.

"Careful not to suffocate her, Kili," the dwarf-king chuckled throatily, his gaze resting on the dark-haired woman as the young dwarf released her slowly. "We wouldn't want to lose her again."

Arinna smiled as she stepped up to Thorin, not quite knowing what to say. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when the dwarf-lord reached out and pulled her into a hug. "You saved his life," he murmured as she returned his embrace with a happy smile. "I will be eternally grateful, Arinna. I'm glad to see you well."

He let go of her then, patting her shoulder affectionately as he looked from her to his nephew, the others gathered in a close circle around them.

"Now," he said, letting out a deep breath. "There is much we need to talk about and much to celebrate. Let's get inside."


	21. An open book

**Happy New Chapter Day! Sorry for the delay in posting this one, holidays got in between :) Thanks so much to BrySt1, purple-pygmy-puff16, UnknownReaderHasJoined, amrawo and ValarenOfGondor for your lovely reviews on the last chapter. I hope you like this one, let me know your thoughts!**

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After Thorin and Balin had settled a deal with the Master of Lake Town, the company was invited to stay in his house for the night, before they would depart for the mountain the following morning in boats that the Master would provide, with fresh provisions and weapons.

Fili and Arinna had gone and retrieved what few belongings they had from the town inn and had brought them here, as several rooms had been prepared for them, and were now sat around a large table in the Master's hall with the others, while ale and food was being brought to them.

"We were looking for you," Thorin was explaining, sat with his older nephew while Arinna sat on the opposite side of the table between Kili and Balin. "We would have kept up our search had we not been attacked by spiders that night."

"We encountered them as well," Fili answered with a nod, shooting a small glance over toward the druid, who managed to hold back the shudder that wanted to run down her spine at the memory. "Horrible beasts, they are. We were lucky to escape them. I believe the Wood Elves were ridding the forest of them, we just managed to sneak past them, otherwise they would have overrun us."

Thorin let out a low breath, his face darkening slightly at the blond dwarf's words. "Aye," he said. "They took us by surprise, we would not have escaped them if it hadn't been for Bilbo. Though we weren't so lucky with the Elves."

"We heard that they had imprisoned a group of dwarves," Arinna muttered, earning herself a surprised look from the dwarf-lord opposite her. "The king sent two of his guards ahead to Lake Town. To cut you off, I suppose. We encountered them on our arrival here yesterday."

"Good thing we got ourselves smuggled in then," Balin offered up with a slight huff, while the others just nodded.

"We also heard that you managed to escape," Fili added and Balin gave him a quick nod.

"Ah yes," the old dwarf said with a small, proud smile. "And again, all thanks to Bilbo."

Arinna and Fili both glanced over at the hobbit curiously, who was sitting a little distance away. He did not hear the contents of their conversation, for he was himself engaged in a quiet chat with Ori. The druid couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought of Bilbo using his wits and his courage to save the day. She had always known that there was more to him than met the eye, and certainly more than the dwarves had originally given him credit for. And she was curious to hear how he had managed all of it, though neither Thorin nor Balin said anything else on the topic as they continued to talk about their journey here. They explained how Bard had smuggled them into town, and how they had stayed at his house during the afternoon, before they had decided to break into the town armoury to get some proper weapons.

It wasn't long after they had finished their tale that some of the dwarves, including Thorin and Balin, left for the rooms on the second floor of the house to go to bed. Fili and Arinna, as well as Kili, Bofur, Bilbo and Nori were among the last ones still up, listening as Bofur retold their escape from the Mirkwood dungeons with much more vigour and detail than Thorin had.

"And then Bilbo had us all climb into the barrels, and before we knew what was happening - SPLASH! - he had already dumped us into the river below," Bofur was saying, underlining his story with big hand movements. They were still sat around the large table in the Master's hall in their now smaller group.

"You mean to say that you travelled to Lake Town in _barrels_?" Fili inquired, his brows almost all the way up to his hairline as he listened to the story with interest. He had been curious to hear all about the things that had happened to the company since they had been separated, though the answers had so far been entirely unexpected. After what they had learned from his uncle already, he and Arinna had asked Bilbo about how exactly he had managed to outwit the giant spiders of Mirkwood, hearing his fantastic tale. And now the story of how they had escaped the dungeons was only adding to the amazement.

"Not just that," Bofur answered, gesturing wildly with a tankard in his hand, sloshing a good bit of ale onto the table. "We were attacked by bloody orcs on the way! They were waiting for us at the water gate. To be perfectly honest with you, Fili, we barely managed to get away with our lives and they're probably still tracking us now."

Fili exchanged a quick look with Arinna, who was sat opposite him still, beside his little brother. "We saw them on our way here," the blond dwarf said, while the druid just nodded her agreement. "By the Forest River. We saw that they were travelling West. If we had known -"

"It's for the best you kept heading directly for Lake Town," interrupted Nori with a shake of his head. His tone was genuine. "The orcs would've overrun us if we hadn't been travelling down the river in those barrels. There was nothing you could have done. Now, we still didn't get away completely unscathed, as Kili over there will tell you, but it could've been much worse had we been on foot."

Arinna and Fili both looked at the brunet dwarf questioningly upon Nori's words. "You've been hurt?" The druid asked, glancing at the dwarf beside her with worry and noticing for the first time that he really did look rather pale, though the dwarf shook his head quickly, giving her a little shrug.

"It's nothing," he assured her with an easy smile. He could see that she wasn't entirely convinced, so he tried to make his smile more reassuring. "Just a scratch, really."

"He took an arrow to the leg," explained Bofur when it became clear that Kili would not say anything else about it. Fili shot his little brother a concerned look, to which Kili drew a small grimace in return. He shot the hatted dwarf an annoyed look, but Bofur just shrugged.

"You've had it tended to by Oin?" Fili asked seriously, worry filling him once again. He had only just found his brother again; he was not happy to hear that he had been injured.

"Sure, yes."

"Kili -"

"I have," Kili repeated, sending his brother a slightly annoyed look, which Fili returned with a stern one of his own. "I'm _fine_, Fili. Truly. And anyway, on to more important things. After everything you've told us about your own adventure, there is one thing that I struggle to believe."

Fili raised his eyebrows at his brother questioningly, but the younger dwarf directed his gaze at the druid that sat beside him instead. "You're telling me you spent all this time alone with my grouchy brother - and did not end up abandoning him in the forest?"

Arinna let out a small snort, pushing against Kili's shoulder as the dwarf laughed heartily, shooting a cheeky look toward Fili who only shook his head, though he was fighting a smile, realising how much he had missed his brother's antics.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't come close," the druid joked, earning herself an amused huff from the blond dwarf opposite and merry laughter from the others around them. Kili was still chuckling when he suddenly saw the look in his brother's blue eyes change and soften while he gazed at Arinna, and she sent him a sweet smile in return.

The company sat talking for long into the night, the last of them only going to bed when Bofur had already passed out under the table in the great hall. Fili was giving his brother a hand as they walked up the stairs that led to the available rooms, the blond dwarf frowning at the painful face Kili pulled with every step he took with his right leg. Arinna and Bilbo were walking up the stairs behind them, the druid having spent the last hour or so listening to the hobbit as he told her of a swarm of beautiful blue butterflies he had seen while he was up in the trees in Mirkwood and of what he had learned of the Elves during the time he had spent hiding in King Thranduil's halls. Bilbo was the first of the small group to excuse himself, and they bid him goodnight as he disappeared into his room.

They halted again a few doors further down by the room that had been assigned to Arinna. Kili gave the druid a small hug before he took a step backwards, standing a little wobbly on his legs, as he watched the exchange between his big brother and her closely.

"Good night," Fili muttered, acutely aware of his brother's eyes on him as he reached for the druid's hand and gave it a small squeeze. He didn't dare kiss her in front of Kili, though Mahal knew he wanted to. He held her gaze for a moment as his thumb trailed over her knuckles and she inclined her head with a soft smile, pulling away from his touch to open the door.

"Good night, Fili," she said quietly, before she shot another look toward his little brother, who gave her a small wink. "Kili."

The brothers stood in the hall until the door had closed behind Arinna. Then Fili turned back to his little brother, giving him a small nod as he reached one arm around him again, helping him hobble down the dark corridor. The blond dwarf led him inside another room, which Thorin had assigned to the both of them, helping Kili sit down on the edge of the bed. He then let out a deep breath, feeling rather exhausted from the night's events as he took off his coat and folded it neatly over a nearby chair.

"So, what's going on with the two of you?"

Fili turned around at his brother's smug voice, finding himself confronted with Kili's piercing gaze. He cleared his throat, trying to muster up a confused look.

"Beg your pardon?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You and Arinna," Kili stated, eyes narrowing slightly at his brother's seemingly unknowing expression. Kili emphasised his words with a little wiggle of his index finger. "There's something going on there."

"I don't know where you would get that idea."

Kili kept his eyes on his big brother, while he slowly took off his own coat, letting it drop carelessly onto the floor. "From you, brother. It's your own fault. You've got a suspicious look about you. Shifty. Like you've got something to _hide_."

Fili tilted his head, bringing his hand up to his chest for good measure. "I am an open book."

"I don't believe that for a second!" Kili retorted swiftly, causing his brother to roll his eyes, though again he was reminded of how much he had missed his little brother during the past weeks. Meanwhile, Kili pressed on. "Come on, Fili, don't be coy with me. I see the way you look at each other. You're different around each other now, softer somehow. And you've been smitten with her ever since she first stepped through Bilbo's front door in the Shire, I know as much."

"Have I now?" Fili inquired with a raised brow, though his brother's words rang true. He had found her intriguing even then, though he was surprised that Kili had noticed as much. Kili just shot him a pointed look and the blond dwarf hesitated for another moment, looking at his little brother undecidedly before he finally let out a defeated sigh and nodded. "She's… we're together."

"Together?" Kili's eyebrows shot upwards. He didn't know exactly what he had expected, but it hadn't been that. Though he couldn't say he was all too surprised. Kili had suspected that his brother had feelings for the druid ever since he had surprised them during their training in the forest a couple of months ago, or that he at least found her attractive. Later, he had been certain that Fili had feelings for her when he had seen him throw himself in front of her during the thunder battle. "Have you put your braid in her hair?"

Fili slightly shook his head and his little brother frowned at the look on his face. "No, but I intend to," Fili answered quietly. "I did not expect any of this, brother, it's not exactly like I carry any spare courting beads with me. But… well, I've asked her, and she said yes. But, Kili, you are the only one that knows. And I would ask you to keep it to yourself, at least for now."

"You're afraid of how Thorin will react?" Kili asked, though he already knew the answer. And he knew that Fili was probably right to be worried about their uncle, for he was certain that Thorin would have a thing or two to say about his heir courting a non-dwarven druid with nothing to her name, especially if he was only being told after the fact. Fili nodded his head, letting out a heavy breath. Kili gave his big brother a small smile. "Understandable. Your secret is safe with me. But, Fili, for what it's worth… I am very happy for you both."

Fili couldn't help but smile at his brother's words. "Thank you, nadadîth."

They settled beside each other on the bed then, though neither of them managed to fall asleep very quickly. Fili was still thinking about Arinna and how he would have to tell his uncle about his plan to officially court a non-dwarven woman. It wasn't as though the inevitable confrontation changed his intentions in the slightest, but Fili still dreaded his uncle's wrath. No doubt, it would be difficult to find an opportune moment between now and Erebor to talk to him about it.

"Is she your One then?"

Fili turned his head toward his brother's voice in the darkness of the room, letting out a small hum in return to the question.

"Well, I always knew you liked her, more than you cared to admit. But now that you've told me, I wonder, is it like with Ma and Da?" Kili elaborated quietly and his big brother smiled silently at the younger dwarf's obvious curiosity. "You know that story she tells, about how she saw him by the mines one day and she knew immediately that he was her One? Do you feel like that with Arinna?"

Fili thought for a moment, before he answered slowly and honestly. "I don't know, Kili," he muttered. "I don't know what it feels like to find your One, or if it feels the same for everyone. What I know is that I love her. I don't know when it started, but I know that she makes me feel whole. There is my heart, Kili, and then there is her. And I'm not sure there is a difference."

"My brother, the romantic," Kili chuckled beside him, groaning for a moment when Fili's elbow made contact with his ribs, before he continued laughing merrily. The blond dwarf couldn't help but chuckle as well as he stared up at the ceiling.

"I can't help it," Fili admitted with a sigh, shaking his head slightly as he rubbed one hand over his chest, while his brother looked over at him with a curious smile. "I have never felt this way before."

Kili hummed quietly, turning his gaze to the ceiling, as well, as he put one arm under his head for comfort. "I don't think I've ever seen you quite so happy," he said, still smiling. "And I do think Thorin will see it, too."


	22. Partings

**And we're onto chapter 22! Thanks very much to BrySt1 and Mckenna079 for your reviews on the last chapter. I love reading your thoughts, I hope you enjoy this one!**

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Arinna stood outside the Master's house early the next morning, pulling the collar of her coat closer around herself. It was snowing lightly, a clear sign that autumn was quickly passing. They would have to hurry if they were to make it to the hidden door by Durin's Day. The druid looked up as Kili stepped up at her side, her brows drawing together in concern at the sight of him. He looked much worse than just the night before, his skin a sickly pale colour while dark circles had formed under his eyes and his lips were tinted blue, as though he was incredibly cold even in the warm furs he was wearing.

"You don't look good," Arinna uttered and Kili raised an eyebrow at her.

"And good morning to you, too," he answered sarcastically, trying to pass off her comment with his usual humorous way. But the druid saw him wince as he put slight pressure on his right leg.

She touched his arm lightly, trying to steady him as much as show him that she was genuinely worried for him. "I mean it, Kili. Are you certain that you are alright? Has the pain gotten worse?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, as he had the night before, though Arinna found it harder and harder to believe his words. She was about to say something else when he continued to speak, changing the subject. "You'll get along with Ma perfectly, she's a worryguts, as well. But I suppose you'll find that out for yourself soon enough."

Kili grinned slightly as the druid sent him a confused look, before he continued swiftly, keeping his voice low as Bombur walked past them. "She'll want to get to know her future daughter-in-law, won't she?"

Arinna's mouth dropped open slightly as she took in the dwarf's words, while Kili just smiled. She cleared her throat, shaking her head as she glanced down at her feet for a moment. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet, Kili."

The brunet just shot her a small wink, still smiling as he moved away from her, following as the company had now started to move. Thorin was leading the way, marching them down the streets to where two boats lay waiting for them. The townspeople had formed large crowds along their path, waving them on and cheering loudly. Arinna watched from her spot in the line as Kili hobbled along a little distance ahead.

"He'll be fine," a voice said from beside her then and the druid jumped slightly, ripped out of her thoughts. She looked over to find Fili walking with her, his own gaze set on his brother as well. "He's too stubborn for anything to stop him from marching to Erebor. That wound won't keep him."

"Indeed. The stubbornness of dwarves," Arinna sighed slightly, before she glanced over at Fili who had a half smile on his face at her words. She took a small breath, before she continued to speak quietly. "You've told him. About us, I mean."

Fili slowed slightly in his steps, returning her gaze with a small nod. "Aye," he answered. "I can't keep anything from Kili. Never could, really. You don't mind him knowing, do you?"

The druid shook her head, turning her gaze forward. They had both slowed their pace now, walking at the back of the company. "No, of course not. It just… it seemed to me last night that you'd prefer not to tell everybody."

The blond dwarf slightly drew his mouth askew at her words, reaching out to grab her arm as he pulled her to a stop. The others walked on without them, not noticing that they were falling behind momentarily. Fili sent her an earnest look.

"It's not that I don't want them to know," he said genuinely, hoping she didn't think that. "I'd be happy to shout it from the rooftops. But I would like to talk to my uncle before we let everybody know. I…," he hesitated for a moment, letting out a small sigh. "As crown prince, I am technically supposed to ask for his blessing if I have serious intentions with someone. Meaning, if I intend to court someone. Beforehand."

Arinna's mouth opened slightly, though no words fell from her lips as she nodded slowly. She had not even thought about the fact that Fili was heir to the crown of Erebor, the greatest dwarven kingdom that Middle Earth had seen, and that it perhaps would see again. She felt rather foolish for thinking that their relationship would be smooth sailing from here, realising now that perhaps not everybody would be as supportive of a dwarven prince courting a human druid as Kili seemed to be.

"Arinna," Fili muttered, pulling her out of her thoughts as he gave her a loving smile. He squeezed her upper arm slightly. "I love you. It doesn't matter to me if Thorin gives us his blessing or not, but he still needs to know. I will simply have to find a good moment to talk to him in private, it's the least I can do."

The druid smiled slightly, nodding again, this time more firmly. "I understand," she said with a reassuring smile toward the dwarf, who let out a relieved breath, and with that she began to move again. Fili followed along swiftly beside her as they hurried slightly to catch up with the others.

They soon came to a halt by the boats that the Master was providing for them. Dwalin and Gloin were busy loading their weapons into the first boat, while the rest of the company were getting in and taking their seats for the journey. Arinna followed after Fili, who walked past his uncle and climbed down into the boat, before he turned to her and held out his hands to help her. It was when the druid had sat down that she heard a small commotion behind her and looked around to find Kili standing by the dock, Thorin's hand placed firmly on his chest and keeping him from following.

"Not you," Thorin was saying quietly. "We must travel at speed; you will slow us down."

"What are you talking about?" Kili frowned. "I'm coming with you.

His uncle shook his head firmly but with a soft expression on his face. "No, Kili."

The druid quickly shot a look toward Fili, whose gaze was set intently on the scene before him. They heard Kili's answer, his voice carrying the hurt he felt at his uncle's words.

"I'm going to be there when that door is opened," he said stubbornly. "When we first look upon the halls of our fathers, Thorin. I'm -"

"Kili," Thorin interrupted him, laying one hand on his nephew's shoulder and giving him a small smile, though it did nothing to lessen the look of shock and betrayal on Kili's face. "Stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

Arinna watched as Thorin turned away and made to enter the boat, while Kili stood looking forlorn. The brunet dwarf dropped his head in defeat, his face scrunching up in an effort to push down tears and anger as he hobbled slowly a few feet away, letting himself drop onto a low post. Arinna felt her heart sink at the sight, and although she understood Thorin's reasoning, she couldn't help but feel that he could have allowed his nephew to come – or else, he could have at least chosen a better, more private moment to explain his feelings on the topic to Kili, instead of stopping him short at the very last moment.

The boat wobbled slightly when Fili stood up abruptly. "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain," he said urgently to Thorin, who merely gave him a tired look. "Tales you told us. You cannot take that away from him. I will carry him if I must!"

"Fili," Thorin sighed, his voice stern. "One day you will be king, and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one dwarf. Not even my own kin."

Fili pressed his lips together at his uncle's answer, looking over to his little brother who was shaking his head at him from where he sat watching the scene. It didn't take Fili more than a few seconds to make up his mind and he stepped out of the boat swiftly. He felt Thorin push against his shoulder in surprise, trying to hold him back but he shook off his uncle's hand with a huff.

"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company."

"No, I belong with my brother," answered Fili angrily as he pulled away, turning around only to hold out his hand toward the druid who had risen now, as well. He did not need to ask her to stay with him, recognising that she had already made her decision in the determined look she gave him as she took his hand and let him pull her back onto the dock. She could understand all too well the hurt that Kili must be feeling at being denied being there the moment when they entered Erebor, the halls of their ancestors. And more than that, she did not want to go on without Fili.

"You're not coming with us, either?" The druid heard Bilbo ask behind her and she shook her head at him, feeling Fili's large hand wrap around hers. The hobbit shortly glanced down at their intertwined hands before she answered him.

"My duty lies with the wounded," she spoke softly, shooting a glance toward Kili, before she looked up at Fili with a sigh. He gave her a small, grateful nod. "My place is here."

The hobbit was not the only one who had his eyes set on Fili and Arinna. Thorin watched with narrowed eyes as his nephew traced his thumb gently over the back of the druid's hand, before his gaze shot back up to Fili's face. The blond dwarf sent him one last tight look, before he turned and walked over to his brother without another word, the druid's hand still firmly held in his. Thorin watched them retreat for a few seconds before he clenched his jaw and got into the boat at last.

"You should not have done that," Kili sighed when they arrived at his side, shaking his head at his brother as he held his side in obvious pain.

Neither Fili nor Arinna replied, looking up as the people of Lake Town sounded the horns around them. They watched as the company departed, accompanied by cheers and good wishes from the townsfolk. Arinna averted her eyes when the company was a good distance away, seeing them wave goodbye. Kili groaned beside her and she knelt down at his side, reaching out for the wound on his leg. He let out another painful hiss at the mere touch of her fingers on his makeshift bandage.

"Oh," a familiar voice suddenly sounded next to them and the three of them all looked up to find Bofur standing a few feet away by the edge of the dock. He gave the small group a sheepish grin. "So, you've missed the boat, as well?"

"You could say that," Fili answered tensely, one hand on his brother's shoulder to keep him steady on the post he was sitting on, as Kili began to slowly keel over more and more.

"We must get Kili some medicine," Arinna said seriously, looking into the pale dwarf's face with deep concern forming in her stomach. "His wound is sure to be infected from the looks of it."

Bofur had now stepped closer, the sheepish grin on his face fading quickly as he saw the state the brunet dwarf was in. He was about to say something when Kili doubled over in pain, letting out a strained cry as he fell to the ground.

"Kili? Kili!" Fili called out, pulling his brother back up by the shoulders. Kili fell against him and his older brother wrapped his arms around his form, struggling to keep him upright, before Bofur came to his help, steadying Kili on his other side. Fili's eyes darted over the crowd, before he nodded toward the retreating forms of the Master and Alfrid further away. "They'll help us!"

Arinna led the way through the crowd while the others followed behind her, almost dragging Kili along between them. They quickly caught up to the two Men and the druid called out over the group of guards that were blocking their way.

"Halt! Please, stop! We need your help!"

The Men paused and the guards stepped aside as Alfrid took a few steps toward them, his eyes moving across them indifferently.

"Our friend is sick. We need medicine," Arinna said to him, gesturing toward Kili. She saw Alfrid's face scrunch up in contempt while the Master suddenly cried out behind him, stumbling a few steps backwards and pressing a dirty handkerchief to his mouth.

"Sick?!" He yelped loudly. "Is it infectious? Keep back! Keep back, all of you! Alfrid, don't let them come any closer!"

The druid's face fell at his reaction, though she returned her gaze to the man before her again, her voice now pleading. "We only need medicine. Please, you must help us."

"Do I look like an apothecary to you?" Alfrid growled, sending her an irritated look as he stepped backward. "Haven't we given you enough? Sheltered you and your husband in an inn? Given your company a load of free provisions? The Master is a busy man, he hasn't got time to worry about sick dwarves. Be gone!"

"You cannot mean it!" Fili growled behind her while the druid's mouth dropped open in shock and disgust. "My brother needs help!"

"So, help him," Alfrid drawled and Arinna could see that he barely withheld from rolling his eyes at them. She felt her anger bubbling hot in her stomach. "But stop your yapping! Go on, now! Get away from here! Leave us in peace!"

Arinna watched as Alfrid turned away and followed the Master inside the great hall, while the guards were now pushing at them. The druid stumbled backwards as one of them jabbed her in the shoulder.

"Those two-faced bastards," Fili barked when the guards finally retreated and they were left standing outside on their own, the big crowd of people now slowly having dispersed around them and in the streets. "I swear, I'm going to -"

"When did you two get married?" Bofur interrupted, shooting the two of them a slightly confused look after what Alfrid had said. Fili opened his mouth to say something, feeling his cheeks turn a little bit warmer but he was interrupted before he could utter a word.

"Now is not the time," Arinna exclaimed grimly with a worried look to Kili, whose head was now hanging low between his shoulders. His breathing had become heavier. "We must get him inside. Somewhere safe and warm. I need to see his wound for myself, otherwise I cannot help him."

Fili was about to suggest the inn that they had stayed at, but he quickly realised that they would no doubt have to pay a considerable amount extra if they wanted to get a sick person inside with them, if they were let inside at all. They did not have that kind of money.

"We take him to Bard," Bofur offered, though his companions looked at him doubtfully. "He's the one that brought us here, he's a good man."

"He was also the one who spoke against Thorin and the Master last night, was he not?" Fili reminded him dubiously. "Do you think he'll welcome us after all that?"

Bofur shrugged helplessly and Arinna let out a deep sigh, giving the three dwarves before her a hard look. "We have no choice," she uttered, urgency in her voice. "Either he'll help us, or he won't, but we have to try."

They followed as Bofur led the way through the streets, Arinna now supporting Kili's other side as they basically dragged him along. It seemed like an age before Bofur finally came to a halt and quickly moved up a short set of stairs that led to the entrance of a small house. Fili and Arinna followed slowly, making sure that Kili got up the stairs alright, while the hatted dwarf knocked on the door.

It only took a few seconds for it to open and they found themselves confronted with Bard, who looked at them first in confusion and then in anger. "No," he huffed loudly, shaking his head quickly as he saw them standing in front of him. "No, go away. I've had enough of dwarves!"

"Please!" Bofur called out as the man made to slam the door in their faces, getting his foot between the door and the frame just in time before it could close. He looked up at Bard with a helpless plea, when the man pulled the door back open with annoyance. "Our friend Kili is very sick. No one will help us!"

Bard narrowed his eyes at the dwarf's words, letting out a sigh before his gaze found the pale dark-haired dwarf being held up by his shoulders by two other people. One was a blond dwarf, the other a woman with long black hair and green eyes, which were looking up at him pleadingly. He remembered seeing the two of them in the square the night before, vouching for Thorin Oakenshield's character. The Lakeman felt slightly torn, not wanting to have anything more to do with these dwarves, but not finding it in himself to toss a sick person, that was obviously in need of help, out on the streets. He finally conceded and took a small step to the side to let them pass.

"Thank you!" Bofur breathed as he moved into the house, the other three following close after him. Bard looked out over the streets for a few more moments before he shook his head slightly and closed the door behind himself, turning to his unexpected guests.

"Here, put him on the bed," he said, pointing to the largest of three beds that were spread throughout the whole house, which had only one big room, which seemed to serve as living room, bedroom and kitchen all in one. His children cried out in confusion at the group's entrance, and Bard called for them to quiet down as he watched the hatted dwarf, who he remembered introducing himself as Bofur when they had first met, taking over from the small woman as he heaved Kili onto the bed together with the blond dwarf.

He heard Kili groan painfully, before he suddenly noticed that the small woman had come to stand before him, one hand held over her chest in greeting. "Thank you for helping us," she said earnestly, and Bard inclined his head slightly. "We will not forget this. I am Arinna," she introduced herself before she pointed to the blond dwarf, who shot him a small bow of his head. "This is Fili, Kili's brother. And Bofur, I believe you've met."

"Aye, we had time for introductions when I smuggled your friends into town," Bard replied somewhat bitterly, though he gathered himself enough to shoot the woman a more friendly look. "I am Bard. And these are my children, Sigrid, Bain and Tilda."

Arinna inclined her head, sending his children a small smile each as he introduced them. "It is very nice to meet you all," she muttered, her voice sounding distracted as she shot a look back toward Kili who was moaning in pain behind her. "Though I wish it had been under different circumstances."

"We are happy to help you," the oldest girl, Sigrid, answered gently, before she gave her father a pointed look. "Aren't we, Da?"

Bard just gave a short nod, following as the dark-haired woman quickly turned and walked back to her group, coming to stand above Kili. His eyes were hazy and though he was looking at her, Arinna saw that he did not truly see her.

"He's feverish," she stated as she put one hand over his sweaty forehead, feeling his hot skin beneath her cool palm. She glanced down at his injured leg then, seeing the dirty makeshift bandage wrapped around his thigh. The druid doubted that Kili had given Oin a proper chance to examine his leg on the way from Mirkwood to Laketown, and she glanced up at Fili, who shot her a helpless look. "Give me one of your knives."

Fili frowned but did as he was told, pulling his sharpest knife from his belt and handing it over to her, hilt first. He watched as she moved down to Kili's leg, her hands moving quickly as she cut through the dirty bandage around his thigh and then sliced a great hole into his trouser leg to get better access to his wound. Fili's stomach lurched slightly at the sight of his brother's wound, seeing it for the first time.

"This is no ordinary arrow wound," Arinna breathed, staring in shock at the blackened flesh of Kili's leg, as well. The infection had already spread down his leg and was moving upwards toward his torso, judging from the black threads that ran from his wound along his veins. She glanced up at Kili's face, which was covered in a sheen of sweat. He blinked up at her hazily. "It's badly infected. You've been poisoned, you _stupid, stubborn dwarf._"

"No need… for insults, eh," Kili breathed in an effort to be cheerful and though Arinna was surprised he had even registered her words, she did not appreciate the humour at this moment. Instead, she turned her gaze away from him at the sound of Bard's voice, sounding close by.

"What do you need?"

"Something to clean out this mess as best I can," she answered tightly, determination setting into her heart. "Fresh water and clean cloth. And something to bring down his fever."

Bard nodded, calling out for his children to fetch the necessary things while he moved quickly over to the kitchen and began rummaging through his cupboards. It was only a few moments later that Arinna was working away at Kili's leg, halting every now and again in her movements when Kili twitched harshly at the pain of her touch, his leg kicking out beneath her hands as he groaned. The druid worked silently for a long time, unable to concentrate on anything other than helping Kili, while the others around her watched and talked quietly.

Fili sat beside Bofur, his gaze set on the druid who was tending to his little brother, his heart heavy with concern. He had not expected Kili's injury to be this bad, but Arinna had been working tirelessly for what seemed like several hours now, using up several cloths and brewing some sort of tea from the herbs that Bard had been able to provide. It had seemed to calm Kili slightly and eased him into a shallow slumber.


	23. Waiting

**On we go! Thanks so much to BrySt1, and guest Xoxo for your reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know your thoughts.**

** Xoxo: I love that you asked about Lithen - the last mention of him was indeed him running off into the wilds with the other ponies but we have not seen the last of him yet ;)**

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It was already well into the afternoon when Arinna was sat beside Kili's bed, finally finished with her work but not feeling as though it had done the dwarf much good at all. Though she had cleaned out his wound, the infection still seemed to be working its way through his body, and his fever had not gone down over the past hours.

"How is he?"

The druid looked up, seeing Bard standing next to her. His gaze was set worriedly on the dwarf's pale, sleeping face, a small crease between his eyebrows. Arinna sighed deeply, closing her eyes for a few seconds as she dragged her hand across her face tiredly.

"I don't know," she admitted, not knowing what else to say. She looked up to meet the man's gaze. "His fever has not gone down despite the medicine."

Bard gave a short nod, not quite knowing how to comfort her. "Here," he said instead, holding out a cup of hot tea to her. "My daughter Sigrid made it. She thought you could use it."

"Thank you," Arinna smiled, though there was no mirth in her eyes. She gingerly took the cup from his hands and took one sip, slightly burning her tongue, before setting it down in her lap and looking back toward the brunet dwarf. Bard watched her for a few moments before he drew up a nearby chair and sat down beside her, clearing his throat slightly.

"I have been watching you work," he muttered quietly. "You are a skilled healer. I'm sure your friend will recover soon enough. All you can do now is wait for the fever to go down, which I'm sure it will."

Arinna shook her head slightly, though she didn't say anything in return. She didn't share Bard's certainty. There was a silence hanging over them for a while, until Bard continued. "How come you are travelling with these dwarves?"

The druid looked up at him then, knowing that he was just trying to keep her mind occupied and distract her from her worries. Though she could not bring herself to dismiss his question without an answer. "I wanted to see my homeland," she offered quietly. "My ancestors hail from a small village near Dale."

"Then you know the devastation that was brought upon these lands by dragon fire," Bard spoke quietly, and the druid could hear the slight accusation in his voice, though he didn't say anything more. Instead he looked over at Bofur who was telling his youngest daughter one of his many stories, making the girl giggle merrily on the other side of the room. The blond dwarf, Kili's brother, was sat beside him and listening in silence. He looked over at the woman next to him as she took another small sip of tea.

"My ancestors were driven from their homes, just like yours were," Arinna muttered thoughtfully, staring down into her cup before she looked up at the Lakeman who was looking at her with interest. "I joined these dwarves because I felt their goal coincided with mine. But my reasons to travel with them soon changed. I began to believe that they could succeed in their quest, and I wanted them to. I know that… that they can be difficult. And stubborn. But they are loyal and true to their word and I love them like they are my family. And I want them to have their home back."

Bard said nothing in return and once more, a small silence stretched out between them. Arinna's gaze wandered through the room, lingering on Fili before her eyes found the Lakeman again.

"I realise that Thorin's quest is dangerous," Arinna finally said, her voice quiet but earnest as she looked up at him. Bard was listening attentively. "And I cannot argue the points that you made in the square last night. If they wake Smaug, his wrath will be terrible."

"An understatement."

Arinna tilted her head slightly. "Perhaps. But I am also thinking that they do stand a chance to see their quest fulfilled. To reclaim Erebor."

"And its riches," Bard added with a small huff, but Arinna shook her head, her gaze drifting over the unconscious Kili before her, and then over to where Bofur had now enraptured all three of Bard's children with his tales, while Fili sat beside him, still without saying a word. The blond dwarf shortly caught her gaze across the room, before Arinna looked back up at Bard.

"It is not about greed," she stated. "It is about taking back their home. Your ancestors were lords of Dale, surely you know the pain of being driven from your home, living out your life having to take refuge somewhere else."

Bard inclined his head, slightly drawing his mouth askew. Of course, he knew that particular sorrow exactly, but he shook his head anyway. "There are worse lives," he answered.

"True," Arinna agreed quietly, remembering the life she had led in Evendim before she had joined Thorin's quest. It had been a good life but there was always that small voice in her head telling her that something was missing. "But would you not want to give your children the chance to see their homeland, to connect with their heritage? To build their future in a newly prosperous Dale, rather than in this forsaken town?"

Bard remained silent for a few long moments, thinking about the future that awaited his children here. He had thought about it before, knowing the prospects to be slim. All this town offered was petty trade and fish. It was not a future he wished on any of his children.

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On the other side of the room, Fili was sat with Bofur, not paying much attention to what the dwarf was saying. He was telling one of his many stories, one that Fili had heard several times before, and though it was mesmerizing to the children, it was not enough to pull his own mind away from his little brother. He was staring over at the spot where Arinna was sat talking with Bard, while Kili slept on. He could only hope that her efforts were paying off, and that Kili would wake soon, healed and regaining his strength. Fili couldn't even bear to think about what would happen if he didn't.

He was angry with his little brother for how recklessly he had concealed the gravity of his wound. He should have known. Kili was always eager to appear as the strong one, invulnerable by petty things that would impede others. He was always ready to prove himself ever since he had been a child. Fili wished that he hadn't tried to appear so strong this time. Perhaps they would have been able to help him sooner then, and he would not be fighting for his life right now.

"_Fili_."

The blond dwarf jerked out of his thoughts, looking over at Bofur, who was giving him a concerned look. It was only then that Fili realised that his friend must have been trying to get his attention for a few moments already. He looked around in slight confusion, noticing that the three children had dispersed now and were no longer sat around them.

"Is everything alright?" Bofur asked, the concerned frown still placed on his face. Fili gave him a jerky nod, clearing his throat slightly.

"Aye," he said. "Just… lost in thought, is all. Sorry, Bofur."

The hatted dwarf shook his head, following Fili's gaze over to the other side of the room. He let out a deep sigh. "Nothing to apologise for," he uttered. "I'm worried about him, as well. But I'm sure Arinna is doing the best she can."

"I know," the prince answered quietly, trying to reassure himself with the knowledge that Arinna was one of the most capable healers he had ever met.

Bofur was watching him from the side, drawing his mouth askew as he noticed Fili's gaze growing distant again. He was trying to think of a way of getting his mind off his worries for at least a few moments, knowing that it would do the blond dwarf no good to just sit and dwell. There was nothing they could do at the moment but wait for Kili's fever to go down.

"Speaking of," he finally said, loud enough to rip Fili out of his thoughts once more. The blond dwarf looked over at him questioningly and Bofur sent him a small smile. "I was just wondering about that thing that the Master's man mentioned earlier."

"What thing?" Fili asked, not following.

"That you are her husband."

Bofur raised his eyebrows slightly as he noticed Fili falter for a moment, his gaze flicking toward the druid before he cleared his throat and looked back at the hatted dwarf. "Oh, that," Fili muttered, stiffening slightly in his seat. "That's just… I just thought that would make things easier."

"Marrying her would make things easier?" Bofur asked with a suppressed grin.

Fili quickly shook his head, glad for the beard that was covering his flushed cheeks. "No, _pretending _to be married."

When Bofur just raised his eyebrows in question, Fili continued with a sigh, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could. "We arrived here in the middle of the night, dirty and alone. The guards were already suspicious of us from the start because of your escape from Mirkwood, so I said that we were husband and wife, travelling to visit relations in the Iron Hills. It just made it easier to avoid unwanted questions."

"I see," Bofur muttered, nodding his head slightly as he looked from Fili to Arinna. "And they believed you?"

"Yes, of course they did," Fili answered with a slightly confused frown. "Why wouldn't they?"

Bofur gave a small shrug, giving the blond prince beside him an earnest look. "Well, I don't know. I suppose your side of the story seems plausible enough. But I think everyone would see that she could do _much _better."

Fili rolled his eyes as Bofur ended with a grin, which turned into a merry laugh as he saw the blond dwarf's disgruntled expression. Fili reached out and pushed him by the shoulder, almost knocking Bofur out of his chair, though he just continued to giggle to himself. The prince shook his head, muttering to himself as he got up.

"You might have a point there, my friend," he said, not bothering to look at Bofur before he walked over to where the druid was still sitting with Bard.

The Lakeman had been about to say something else to the druid when he caught sight of the blond dwarf slowly making his way over to them. He cleared his throat and got up as the dwarf arrived at their side, quickly excusing himself to go over to clean up a few things in the kitchen.

Fili watched the man go, before he took his seat, his gaze drifting over his little brother's sleeping form. His hand unconsciously reached for Arinna's, his thumb tracing slowly over the back of it. She hardly even glanced over at him, her eyes roaming over his brother's leg.

"What were you talking about?"

Arinna looked up at the blond dwarf at his question, giving him a slight shrug as she glanced over at Bard for a moment. "The possible consequences of this quest," she muttered. "Good or bad."

"He really is a naysayer," Fili uttered gruffly but Arinna shook her head in response, sending him a thoughtful look.

"He's afraid that the company will wake the dragon and bring its wrath down upon this town," she said, causing Fili to incline his head slightly. "And while I do believe that they will succeed, I understand his fear. This is his home, their home. His children are here. Would you not be afraid for your loved ones if faced with such a situation?"

Fili let out a small sigh, tilting his head in acceptance of her words. "Aye, you're right," he answered, giving her hand a small squeeze. "I know he is a good man. He didn't have to help us after everything that's happened, but he did."

Arinna nodded and they remained silent for a few moments, the late afternoon letting in red sunlight through the small windows of the house. Fili watched as the druid got up eventually, drawing her hand away from his touch to take the damp cloth from Kili's forehead. She dunked it into the bowl of cool water beside her, wringing it several times before she put it back on Kili's head, her fingers tracing over his hot cheeks before she retrieved her hands completely.

"How is he doing?" Fili asked quietly as she kept standing beside the brunet dwarf, her gaze wandering over his pale, sweaty face. Worry pulled at his heart as she seemed to hesitate with her answer.

"I need to do more," she murmured finally, her voice tense, and Fili looked up at her with a tired sigh. "His fever should have gone down by now. Instead it seems only to have worsened."

"Perhaps the medicine needs more time to take hold?" Fili suggested, though his words didn't even convince himself. He could tell by the look of him that Kili was doing worse than just a few hours ago. His thoughts were confirmed when Kili, still unconscious, let out a low painful groan. "What else can you do?"

Arinna was chewing her lower lip anxiously as she watched the brunet dwarf writhe in his sleep, feeling an awful certainty settle in her heart as she gazed down at her injured friend. She had to do something, or else Kili's infection would worsen. And Arinna did not want to accept the thought of what would happen then. She thought of what the druid elders in her colony would do in such a case, realising finally that it could be no ordinary poison that was wrecking Kili's body. And against such things, no ordinary medicine would be able to help.

"Bard!" She suddenly called, the volume of her voice carrying through the small rooms and causing not only the Lakeman but also his children and Bofur to look over at her in surprise. The druid glanced down at Kili once more, before she moved forward and made a few steps toward Bard. "Do you have any Athelas?"

"Athelas?" Bard repeated, his hand reaching for the small bags of herbs he kept in the kitchen, though he was frowning at the dark-haired woman. "I don't know. What is it?"

"Kingsfoil," Arinna said, remembering the common name for it. Bard's eyebrows drew together in even more confusion.

"Kingsfoil," he muttered, shaking his head. "I don't have any. It's a weed, we feed it to the pigs."

Arinna's face fell at the same time that another pained groan fell from Kili's lips as his eyes fluttered slightly, though he did not wake up. The others were staring at the bed, taking in his worsened condition, when Bofur suddenly jumped up from his seat.

"Weed," he was muttering to himself, nodding several times in a row before he looked up at Arinna and Fili. "Pigs. Alright. Pigs. I'll get it, you stay here and look after him!"

He was running toward the door before anyone could say anything, and Arinna barely managed to call after him before he had vanished from their sight. "White flowers! Look for white flowers!"


	24. Under attack

**I'm back with a longer chapter. Thanks to blasttyrant for your review on the last one, I'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying this story! Let me know your thoughts on this one!**

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The sun had almost set when Fili was pacing along the side of Kili's bed nervously, watching as his brother writhed in pain. He had woken a little while ago, though Fili wasn't sure whether "awake" was actually the right term for what Kili was. His little brother was conscious but unresponsive. He did not speak, only groans and gasps of pain falling from his lips and Fili could do nothing but watch as Arinna changed the cloth on his forehead and helplessly tried to get the brunet's fever down. Bofur had been gone for what seemed like ages and had not returned with the Kingsfoil. And though Fili wasn't sure what Arinna meant to do with a weed, he trusted her enough to know that it was important, and he could tell from the way she kept glancing toward the door in hopes of it opening and revealing their hatted friend that she was growing anxious.

"I have nightshade," Bard suggested, worry now also clear to hear in his voice as he stood in the kitchen, glancing over at the injured dwarf in the room. He was rummaging through a small cabinet. "Or feverfew."

"That won't do," Arinna replied tensely with a shake of her head as she held Kili's hand, trying to give the dwarf some comfort as he curled up in obvious agony. She wasn't sure he was even aware of her touch at all at this point. "I need Athelas. Where's Bofur? He should've been back by now!"

Her last statement was directed at Fili who didn't know what to say. He glanced down at his brother, feeling his heart clench at what might happen if they did not soon find a way to help him.

"I'll go look for him," he then said, uncertain at the idea of leaving his injured brother but at the same time wanting nothing more than to be able to do something. Anything. And if it was only to find Bofur and drag him back to the house by his pigtails.

Arinna opened her mouth to reply, when the walls suddenly began to shake around them. A noise, like great thunder, rolled over the town and a heavy vibration reverberated through the ground, the walls, the water beneath the town. The pots and pans that hung from hooks on the ceiling clinked together as they shook, dust falling from the wooden boards that held up the roof of the house. They all looked up in alarm, Bard looking out the window while Fili and Arinna sought each other's gaze. It was one of Bard's children who was the first to speak.

"Was that an earthquake?" Bain asked in slight confusion and obvious doubt. "It's coming from the mountain!"

His father caught his gaze over the kitchen counter, shaking his head with a dreadful expression on his face. He knew exactly what that had been, just as Fili and the druid did, though he did not have the heart to tell his children just then.

"You should leave us," Fili spoke up, taking a few steps away from his little brother and addressing Bard directly. Worry was clear to see in his pale blue eyes and Bard returned his gaze with slight surprise, though his face hardened slightly with the dwarf's next words. "Take your children. Get out of here."

"And go where?" The Lakeman asked quietly, with a strange calm, looking from the blond dwarf to the dark-haired druid who was watching him with an unreadable expression. "There is nowhere to go."

"Are we going to die, Da?" A small voice spoke suddenly and the three adults turned to Bard's youngest daughter, Tilda, who was looking up at her father with wide, fearful eyes.

Bard shook his head. "No, darling."

"But the dragon… it's going to kill us," the little girl went on, not believing her father's reassurance. It was then that Bard's expression grew into quiet resolve, and he looked at his three children for a few long moments, taking in their fear and feeling it drive him to the inevitable conclusion. He reached up then, toward the pots and pans that hung from the ceiling and ripped off the very thing they were attached to.

A large black arrow came off the wall, feeling heavy in Bard's hand as he held it tightly. "Not if I kill it first," he growled.

"A black arrow," Fili gasped as he watched the scene, his eyes trained on the object in Bard's hands. The Lakeman shot him a short look. "I thought they were all destroyed when Girion made his last stand. My uncle told us the story many times."

"Your uncle was mistaken," Bard replied sternly, gripping the arrow. "It has been in my family for generations. And if this should be the night to use it, then so be it."

Fili inclined his head with respect, feeling guilty at the thought that it was because of them - because of the quest - that his family was in such danger, and he was forced to use it. It was then that Bard motioned for his son to follow him as he made his way toward the front door. Bain was on his heels as he turned around one more time, sending his two daughters a soft but serious look.

"Stay here," he said, reaching out one hand to touch Sigrid's shoulder gently. "Stay safe!"

And with that he was out of the door, his son behind him, and the rest of them were still staring at the spot where they had vanished when the door snapped shut again with a small thud. There was a heavy silence over the room as another thunderous sound rose from the distant mountain and descended into the valley, rolling over Lake Town.

Arinna felt her heart beat wildly in her chest, her fear of the awoken dragon mingling with the fear for Kili again as the injured dwarf cried out once more, his croaky voice echoing off the walls of the house. The druid rushed forward, grabbing him by the shoulders as he flailed about on the bed, his body contorting in pain. It was then that his eyes suddenly shot open and his pupils seemed surprisingly clear, staring up at her fearfully.

"Kili!" She whispered, pressing her hands to his face as he breathed heavily. One of his hands reached upwards, searching for something. She watched his eyes roam from her face to the ceiling.

"Na… Nadad," the brunet dwarf spoke quietly through gritted teeth, and though Arinna didn't know what the word meant, she saw Fili whirl around at the small word, rushing back to his brother's side and catching the hand that was still searching in the air.

"I'm here," Fili said urgently, squeezing Kili's hand and causing the younger dwarf's now hazy gaze to find him. An almost untraceable smile pulled at Kili's lips as he took in his brother's face hovering above him. Fili was staring at him fearfully, almost feeling the sudden change in Kili's body. "I'm here, brother. Just hold on a little longer! Bofur will be back soon. We'll get you back on your feet in no time, Kili. I promise you."

"You shouldn't… make…" Kili had trouble speaking at all, though he was trying to get his sentence out with all his might as he stared up at his big brother. "… make promises you… can't… keep."

Fili shook his head, feeling his heart clench and tears sting in his eyes as Kili's eyes seemed to glaze over again, and it was only a few moments before another pained moan ripped through the brunet's body. The blond prince looked up at Arinna helplessly, seeing that the druid's eyes were wet with her own tears as she looked at the brothers' still entwined hands. Kili groaned again, a deep and almost unnatural sound now, before he fell eerily silent, his breathing still heavy but much slower.

"He's fallen back asleep," Arinna whispered after a few moments, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek before she looked up at Fili. She didn't know what to say to him, so she silently grabbed the bowl of water from the table beside the bed and made her way over to the kitchen to empty and refill it. It was only when she arrived at the counter that she looked up and noticed Tilda sitting on the ground by the fireplace by herself. A small frown came to play on the druid's face as she looked around.

"Tilda, where is your sister?" She asked then, causing the little girl to look up at her. Her eyes were still wide and frightened, and Arinna tried to give her a calming smile, not wanting to upset the girl any more.

"She's gone outside," Tilda finally answered with a small shrug, as she pointed to the closed front door. "To wait for Da and Bain to come back."

Arinna sighed as she followed the gesture. She thought for a moment before she filled up the tea pot with water again, going over to the fireplace to heat it up before she made her way over to Fili. She handed him the fresh bowl of water and the cloth for Kili, and the blond dwarf took it without a word, taking over the duty of replacing it on his little brother's forehead while Arinna finished the tea.

She offered Tilda a cup, which the little girl took with a small thanks, before the druid made her way to the front door. Stepping outside, she found Sigrid leaning against the bannister of the stairs that led up to the house, looking out over the empty streets. Arinna stepped up beside her, and the girl shot her a small glance as she held out the steaming cup of fresh tea to her.

"It's chilly out here," Arinna offered quietly. "I thought you could use it."

Sigrid took the cup with a faint smile. "Thank you," she muttered, her eyes darting back to the deserted streets around the house. Arinna watched her for a moment as she took a small sip from the tea, feeling empathy for the worried look on Sigrid's face. Another rumble rolled over the town and they both looked up at the same time, their eyes finding the peak of the Lonely Mountain just visible in the distance over the rooftops of the town.

Arinna felt the blonde girl beside her reach suddenly for her hand and she returned the gesture, giving Sigrid's fingers a reassuring squeeze. Her eyes drifted away from the mountain as the vibrations subsided and it was then that her eyes fell on the small person making their way through the streets toward the house.

"Bofur!" She called, relief washing over her as she saw the dwarf approaching quickly, a small bundle of herbs visible in his hands. Arinna could just make out the small white flowers from this distance, and she felt a heavy breath escape her that almost sounded like a sob. She could now make out Bofur's features as he got closer. "You're back!"

The hatted dwarf looked up at the sound of her voice, seeing the two women standing on the doorstep of Bard's house and looking down toward him with relieved expressions on their faces. The druid saw him open his mouth, a smile playing around his lips, before his eyes suddenly darted upwards and away from them. The smile fell from his face and his eyes widened with shock and what Arinna thought was fear, as he opened his mouth again, his loud voice cutting through the silent streets.

"ORCS!" Bofur yelled, raising the hand that held the herbs to point at something above Arinna's head. The druid whirled around. "LOOK OUT!"

It all went too fast for Arinna to react at all. She looked up, coming face to face with one of several orcs that had climbed onto the roof of Bard's house. She cried out, the creature snarled viciously and jumped down, while the rest of the pack used their strength to destroy the roof of the house. Arinna could hear Tilda's shriek from the inside as she was knocked down by the orc, falling backwards and painfully landing on top of the stairs as Sigrid now screeched in panic as well as the beast turned on her.

Arinna scrambled to her feet as fast as she could, throwing herself onto the orc's back as it was about to attack the girl. She threw her body backwards, making the orc stumble a few feet away from Sigrid who quickly moved out of the way and ran back into the house, leaving the door open behind her. Arinna was scrambling on the beast's back as it shook, trying to get rid of her, finally throwing her off and directly through the open door. She landed on the wooden floor with a painful thud, screeches and screams filling the house. She looked up to see the orc starting to make its way through the door when it was hit from behind with a large oar, and the druid only saw a small glimpse of Bofur before the orc took him down with it, tumbling down the stairs outside.

Something crashed then, and the druid looked up to find another orc - there were so many of them cramped into the small space of Bard's house - trying to get at Sigrid and Tilda who were hopelessly trying to defend themselves with an already broken chair. Arinna reacted out of instinct, reaching for the dagger she still kept in her boot and throwing it with full force at the orc, the blade embedding itself in the side of its head. The two girls cried out as it fell to the ground and Arinna scrambled to her feet again, swiftly making her way over to them.

"Quickly! Get under the table!" She called over the chaos as she pulled her dagger from the dead orc's head, ushering the two girls to hide beneath the dinner table for at least some sort of protection, before she turned around, facing yet another orc. She could see Fili fighting two at the same time from the corner of her eyes, trying to defend his helpless, injured brother. But he had been as surprised by the attack as any of them, his swords out of reach and the only weapons to fight the few knives he carried on his body still.

Arinna dodged the orc that was coming at her, turning and slashing at it as she did. She got merely its arm, dark blood spilling from it as it snarled furiously. It made for her again and the druid stumbled backwards, her foot catching on the leg of the orc she had killed already. She fell to the ground, barely managing to keep hold of her blade as the attacker jumped on her. She rolled out of the way and cried out in pain when she suddenly felt something sharp connect with her leg. Another of the orcs had sliced its spiked sword at her thigh and had drawn blood, while the other one got back to its feet. The druid hobbled backwards, hearing again the screams of Bard's daughters echoing in her ears. The front door flew open and Arinna saw Bain stand there for a mere second before he was roughly grabbed by another of the foul beasts and thrown halfway through the room.

Fili was fending off the second of the orcs that had made straight for him, having managed to kill at least one of them. Though he was now down one knife as it was still stuck between the dead orc's eyes. As he sliced at the other beast, his eyes darted across the room, seeing his beloved trapped against the edge of the table that the two girls were hiding beneath, with only her small dagger to defend herself and them against two orcs. Fili knew that they stood no chance. They were only two of them - Mahal knew where Bofur was, or if he had been attacked already on the way to find the Kingsfoil - against four remaining orcs. There was the one he was still fighting, the two that Arinna was desperately trying to fend off and the last one, the tallest one of the bunch, who had thrown Bard's son into a wall and knocked him unconscious. This orc was clearly the leader of the pack and Fili had seen his cruel gaze rest on Kili, who had woken at all the noise and was clumsily trying to get out of the bed, to do something, though he would no doubt only hurt himself more in the process - or worse.

A fist connected with Fili's face and he stumbled backwards, trying to keep his footing as blood spilled from his nose. He blinked and dove out of the way of the opposite orc's sword coming at him. He landed on the ground with a pained groan and it was just when he looked up, seeing the sword come straight at his head again, that his attacker suddenly stopped and turned around. Fili crawled a few feet away, looking up to see whatever it was that had stopped the beast from going through with its assault.

His eyes widened when he saw one of the orcs that had been attacking Arinna lying unmoving on the ground, while the other was on its knees, gasping for breath, as though he was choking. While the other two orcs growled something in Black Speech, Fili saw Arinna's lips moving as she held out one hand toward the kneeling orc before her. Her eyes were wide and filled with fear.

"Thu oru le! Thu oru le!" The druid chanted, feeling fury and fear drive her on for once instead of interfering with her magic. She hadn't known whether it would work, whether it was something she could do at all, but there had been no other choice. There would have been no chance to defeat the orcs as they were, outnumbered, practically unarmed, and with three children and Kili to protect. And so, she had begun to chant, summoning the magic within her core to draw the very air from the orcs' lungs.

The one before her grabbed at its neck, wheezing as it struggled to breathe. Its weapon had dropped to the floor and as Arinna looked up, keeping her hand pointed at the beast before her, she could see the remaining two orcs hesitate at her actions. It was only a moment though, before they sprung back into gear and both rushed toward her at the same time, realising that she was the biggest threat in the room at that moment. Arinna raised her free hand toward one of them with wide eyes, making it stumble to a halt as the air began to leave its body as well. Though she had no way to stop the other one, seeing it make for her with a spiked mace raised to cut her down.

It was Fili who threw the dagger that embedded itself in the orc's back, making it roar with pain as it stumbled in its step. It turned to him and growled viciously, though Fili could tell that its attention was torn between him and the still chanting druid on its other side, while he brandished his last dagger. The orc seemed to think for a second before it whirled back around and for a moment Fili thought it was going to go for Arinna again, to help its companions, but the beast instead made directly for the front door and disappeared from their view, shouting something into the night in Black Speech again, something that Fili didn't understand.

Fili stood frozen for a few long moments before his gaze finally fell back on the druid, as she let out a soft gasp while she still continued to chant her spell to keep the two orcs before her in place. But her hands were now shaking heavily, and Fili could tell just from looking at her that her strength was leaving her quickly, the beasts before her regaining their breath. He rushed forward, using the blade in his hand to swiftly cut the throats of both kneeling orcs before Arinna's spell would wear off. She stopped chanting the second their lifeless bodies fell to the ground, weakly dropping down onto her knees herself. Fili took a quick look at the third orc that already lay unmoving before her, making sure that it, too, was dead, before he reached out and grabbed the druid by her shoulders.

"Arinna," he uttered, squeezing her shoulders slightly to get her attention. She was breathing heavily, her skin having suddenly paled as she slowly looked up at him. Her green eyes were struggling to focus on him. "Are you alright? What did you do?"

The druid shook her head slightly, unable to speak. Her mind was completely hazy as she tried to concentrate on Fili's familiar blue eyes, staring at her worriedly. Using such powerful magic on the orcs had taken a lot out of her, all her strength going into her spell. Her legs felt wobbly even as she knelt on the floor, and she was glad for Fili's hands keeping a strong hold of her shoulders, keeping her upright.

"You killed them all," someone spoke in quiet shock behind them and Arinna followed Fili's gaze as he turned his head, finding Bain standing upright in the middle of the room, having regained consciousness at some point during the last few minutes.

"Not all," Fili rumbled, remembering the orc that had retreated, most likely to gather more of his pack. Fili wasn't sure if they would be back though, knowing that these orcs were most likely still searching for his uncle. Certainly, they would have loved to kill all of them tonight, but Thorin was still the prize they were hunting. Perhaps it had not seemed worthwhile to go up against magic in the face of not even taking back that prize.

It was at that moment that he heard the front door creak loudly, and his gaze shot up fearfully, worried that his assumption had been wrong. But it was no orc that stood in the doorframe, but Bofur, holding on to a bundle of weed adorned with white petals.

"That was something," the hatted dwarf spoke, sporting a dark bruise across one half of his face from his encounter with the orc pack outside. He had managed to kill the one that had sent him hurtling down the stairs, but it had not been shy to knock his face straight into a wall before that. "Is everyone alright?"

Fili looked from his friend to his little brother, who was lying on the wooden floor, having fallen out of the bed during the fight as he had tried with his last bit of strength to do something to defend himself and the people he loved, to no avail. Kili was curled up in pain, barely breathing now and Fili felt panic rise in him as he looked at Arinna, shaking her shoulders slightly.

"Arinna, Bofur is here," he said urgently, watching as her green eyes slowly found their way back to his face. He gripped her shoulders tightly, making her wince slightly. "He has the Kingsfoil!"

"Kingsfoil," the druid finally muttered, nodding her head as she repeated Fili's words and tried to get to her feet. The blond dwarf managed to catch her by her arms as she sunk back down weakly, though her eyes were now much more alert. Her gaze fell over Fili's shoulder on his little brother, lying unmoving on the cold ground. She pulled out of the prince's grasp then, moving the few metres toward Kili on her hands and knees. She felt her body protest at every little movement, her body and mind screaming for rest. But she was unable to give in to it, not now, she thought, as she put a shaky hand on Kili's neck, looking for his pulse.

"We are losing him," she whispered fearfully, not looking up as Fili and Bofur had come to kneel beside her. Even Bard's children had gathered around the brunet dwarf, faces heavy with concern. Arinna took the Athelas from Bofur as he helplessly held it out to her, her fingers moving swiftly to remove some of the white blossoms and the tops of the green plant, mashing them together in her hands while throwing away the bits she didn't need. Bofur moved out of the way slightly so she had access to the festering wound on Kili's leg. Meanwhile, Fili moved to kneel by his brother's head, lifting it into his lap as his hands brushed over his hair comfortingly. He was muttering under his breath, saying things to Kili in a language that Arinna did not understand.

Arinna shot Kili a last look before she pressed the Athelas against his wound, making his eyes shoot open suddenly as his body convulsed forcefully. Fili, shocked by his sudden rise, barely managed to hold him down by the shoulders. Bofur was quick to grab hold of Kili's feet as his legs kicked out, trying to get away from the pain that Arinna was causing him.

"Numonro hor tul ome…" The druid closed her eyes as she pressed her hands against the wound, trying to concentrate and ignore Kili's struggling, though she could feel that she wasn't ready. What she was trying to do was a healing spell of immense power, one that she had never before had to use, nor properly learned how to, as only druid elders would normally execute it and only on extremely rare occasions. Arinna had never actually seen anyone do it and only knew the spell from others' tales. And she could tell that her body was not yet ready for another use of magic, not so soon after she had almost exhausted herself with fending off the orcs. But there was no choice, she thought almost angrily, unwilling to accept the boundaries that her body and mind were trying to put on her. She had to be ready, for Kili. Her friend would die if her magic did not work right now. That was certain. She could feel death radiating off him, beginning to envelope his body as the poison had almost finished doing its horrific work.

Arinna shook her head, banishing the thought from her head as she pressed her eyelids closed, putting even more pressure on Kili's wound. She felt him buck and kick beneath her, the children now rushing to help the others hold him down.

"_Numonro hor tul ome_," the druid repeated, ignoring the tired protest of her own magic as she forced it into action once more. "Numonro hor tul ome. On sun r-su erru."

Fili watched as Arinna chanted, first under her breath and then her voice grew louder, uttering words that he did not understand over Kili's pained screams. For a few moments it seemed as though she was only causing him more pain.

"Tam numonro. On sun r-su erru," she kept going, her voice growing tense with effort. Fili stared, and looked from her to the face of his little brother as he felt Kili's body slowly begin to relax. He had stopped kicking now, and his breathing was growing stronger, more even. The screams had stopped.

"_Numonro hor tul ome._"

Arinna's chanting stopped suddenly when Kili's eyes fluttered open, his brown irises still slightly hazy but staring up at the face above him with recognition. "Fili?" He muttered quietly, and the blond dwarf let out a sob of relief at the sound of Kili's croaky voice. He nodded, stroking one hand over Kili's head as he reassured him that he was there, and that Kili was safe now. Kili took in his words, only realising slowly that he was indeed still alive, and feeling better than he had for days. The pain that had crawled up his leg into his entire body since the arrow had first struck him had suddenly gone, and instead he only felt a dull throbbing on his thigh, where the original wound was.

He glanced down, seeing Arinna slowly pull away her trembling hands from his leg. "You… saved me," he breathed, causing her to look at him, as his wits slowly returned to him. He felt better with every passing second. "How can I ever thank you, namad?"

He had been about to say something else, though it was hard to express the things he felt right at that moment, knowing that she had saved him from certain death somehow. But his words got caught on his tongue as he saw the druid's pale face, dark circles having formed under her eyes. Her breathing was shallow and ragged, and she barely managed to give him a short nod, before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed.

"Arinna!" Fili called out fearfully as Bofur managed to catch her just before her head hit the ground.


	25. Fire and smoke

**Happy Sunday with chapter 25! Hope you enjoy this one!**

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She woke up with a slight start, her eyes fluttering open slowly. Her limbs felt heavy and she could feel a light painful throbbing at the back of her thigh. Dim firelight lit the room and it took Arinna a moment to realise that she was lying down, still in Bard's house.

"Arinna," someone spoke beside her and the druid turned her head in the direction of the familiar voice, a headache stinging her temples. Fili was sat beside her, one hand gripping hers tightly as he tried to give her a smile, which was overshadowed by the worry on his face. His nose was swollen, traces of dried blood still on his upper lip. "Thank Durin, you're awake! You had us worried sick."

The druid opened her mouth to say something as she tried to sit up, though instead of words, a painful hiss escaped her at the movement. Her eyes flew to her leg, seeing a tight bandage wrapped around her thigh.

"We bandaged your leg," Fili explained quickly, following her gaze. "You had a nasty gash at the back of your thigh."

"Where's Kili?"

It was the first thing that had popped into her mind, remembering the brunet dwarf lying down on the floor before her as she had tried to let her magic flow into him, using the Athelas to heal his infection.

"I'm right here." She turned at the young prince's voice, seeing him sat a few feet away with Bofur and Bard's children beside him. She let out a sigh of relief. He still looked a little pale, but was breathing and talking normally, and sitting upright in a seemingly painless position. Kili was looking at her worriedly. "You saved me and then you fell unconscious. You've been out for almost an hour, what happened?"

Arinna inclined her head slightly. She had a fairly good idea of what had happened, still feeling drained as Fili helped her into an upright position. "I'm alright," she muttered, though even her voice was still weak. She felt Fili give her hand a small, concerned squeeze. "Just… exhausted myself, I suppose. I've never…It's difficult to use so much magic all at once."

"I've never seen anything like it," Fili muttered from beside her, and the druid looked around to find him looking at her with admiration. "You've always spoken of your magic as something benign… When we first asked you about it, I remember you said that you had none to speak of. I didn't know you could do something like this… something so powerful."

Arinna let out a small sigh, shaking her head to herself as she avoided Fili's gaze, though as she looked at the others, they seemed just as impressed as the blond dwarf. She let out a soft hum. "Yes… neither did I."

"But you'll be alright?" Bofur reiterated and Arinna smiled slightly as she looked up at him, giving her friend a slow nod. He let out a breath of relief. "Thank Mahal. My poor heart can't handle much more."

Arinna was about to say something else, when the house suddenly shook once more, though this quake was much stronger than any of the ones before. Small objects fell to the ground around them, filling the room with clanks and thuds when suddenly, a great roar sounded through the air over the lake. The small group exchanged wide-eyed glances and Fili quickly got up and moved over to one of the small windows, Bain right behind him.

He felt his heart drop at what he saw. Out in the distance a giant shadow darkened the moon, great wings spread wide as a fiery red and golden glow illuminated the belly of the beast that was fast approaching the town.

"I'm afraid your heart will need to prove its strength tonight, Bofur," the blond dwarf finally spoke, exchanging a small look with the boy beside him as he turned around to his companions. "The dragon is coming."

For a few long moments, a dreadful heavy silence hung over the room as Fili's words sank into their minds.

"We need to leave," Kili finally said, his voice tense and dark as he looked at his brother urgently. Fili nodded, though it was Sigrid who spoke next.

"There is a boat at the back of the house," she muttered, fear evident in her small voice, though she was trying to put on a brave face. Fili gave her another small nod, trying not to lose his head. They had to be rational now, if they were to survive this night.

"Gather what you need," he said then, his voice sounding strangely authoritarian even to himself, but the others were quick to oblige. The children swiftly grabbed what bare necessities they thought important, while Fili moved and looped one of Arinna's arms around his shoulders, lifting her up onto her legs. She was leaning heavily against his side and he put his free arm around her waist to support her, as they moved quickly to the door. Sigrid led the way to the back of the house, where indeed a small boat was tied up.

Arinna jumped at the sound of another deafening roar echoing over the lake and she looked up just in time to see Smaug swooping directly over the roofs of the town. Cries rose up from the houses around them, as lights began to fill the windows, the people suddenly becoming aware of the horror they were about to face as they were ripped out of their sleep. The dragon was taunting them, circling back around at the far edge of the lake to descend upon the town once more.

"Quickly!" Fili urged as he motioned for the children to get into the boat. Sigrid and Tilda obliged, and Bain had one leg already in the boat when he turned back around, the fear on his face mixing with determination.

"What about Da?" he asked urgently, looking at Fili for what to do.

"Where is your father?" Fili replied quickly, sending the boy a tense look. He had thought that Bard had gone to kill the beast with the black arrow but looking at Bain, that did not seem to be the case.

"The guards collared him and took him away!" Bain explained with a sudden panic, realising that his father was probably locked in a cell somewhere, completely at the dragon's mercy. If the town was destroyed, so would he be. "I hid his bow and arrow inside a boat by the square. I came back to alert you, to get help, but the house was filled with orcs."

Kili shot the boy an incredulous look. "Why would they do that?"

"Probably on the Master's orders," Bofur answered him, the hatted dwarf keeping a good hold on Kili's shoulder to help him stand upright on his still healing leg. "I wouldn't put it past him to lock away the only person brave enough to speak out against him openly."

Bain just nodded his agreement, while Fili let out a frustrated growl. And then the earth suddenly shook again as Smaug swooped over the far end of the town, releasing fire from his mouth. They turned their heads, seeing the flames rise up toward the night sky. People screamed in the distance, while the dragon laughed an inhuman, dark laugh above. Fili pressed his lips together, unsure of what to do as he looked over at Arinna. She was returning his gaze out of exhausted, but fearful eyes, and it was then that he made up his mind.

"I will find your father. And the black arrow. And then we will kill that blasted dragon once and for all. Now get in the boat," he said, motioning for Bain to do as he said. His voice did not tolerate protest and the boy obeyed, though with obvious hesitation. Fili moved Arinna to the edge of the boat, and he could feel her begin to resist as he was handing her over to Bain, to help her in. He shot her an urgent look. "Arinna, get into the damned boat."

The druid shook her head, one hand coming up to grab the furs on his collar. Fili felt a sting in his heart at the fearful look she gave him. "No," she breathed, twitching fearfully as Smaug lit more of the town on fire. "I'm not leaving you behind. You cannot do this alone, Fili, it is madness!"

"Arinna," the blond dwarf muttered tensely, trying to convey the urgency he felt in his heart. They needed to leave, now. He grabbed hold of her hands, squeezing them tightly in front of his chest as he held her gaze. "You are in no state to face any of this. Take the children, get them to safety. I must find Bard."

She stared at him, unable to move as her eyes filled with tears. Fili let out a sigh, releasing her hands to grab her face instead, his thumbs tracing lovingly over her cheekbones as he gave her a small smile, faking a confidence that he did not truly feel. "I know it is madness," he whispered. "And I promise you that I will return to you. But I need you to be safe, I need you to be as far away from here as possible, do you understand me?"

Arinna pressed her lids together for a second, a tear falling down her cheek, and Fili repeated himself urgently when she did not speak. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," she finally breathed, her voice breaking as she gave him the tiniest of nods. Fili leaned in then, pressing a short but passionate kiss to her lips before he gave her a nudge, and Arinna let herself be helped into the boat by Bain, who tried to give her a reassuring look.

Fili turned to his brother. "Now you," he ordered, giving Kili a stern look when the dwarf opened his mouth to protest. He snapped it shut, knowing that he would not be of help to anyone with his injured leg. He could barely stand upright still, never mind hobble through the streets trying to save Bard. He gave Fili a short, unwilling nod, before he gruffly moved toward the boat. Fili grabbed his shoulder, halting him in his steps for a moment as he walked past him. He leaned in, muttering into his brother's ear.

"Promise me, you'll keep her safe," Fili said, and his little brother shot him a short, determined look. "I need both of you to be safe, Kili."

"Always," was all Kili said in return, giving his big brother a nod before he climbed into the boat. He quickly helped Bain untie it from the small dock, before he looked up and waited for Bofur to get in.

The hatted dwarf moved forward, but instead of getting into the boat, he gave it a swift, hard kick, driving it a few feet out into the water. He turned around when Fili cried out.

"Bofur, what are you doing?!"

The older dwarf just gave him a pointed look, before he glanced back to the boat. His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear him. "The lass is right," he said. "You cannot do this on your own, Fili, and you won't."

His gaze met Kili and Arinna's, who both gave him a shocked but grateful nod, before Bain and Kili grabbed the oars and began to row away from the dock. Bofur watched them for a few seconds, his attention only drawn away when another deafening roar sounded over their heads. He looked up, seeing the dragon swoop down only a little distance away, its claws tearing the roof off of several houses at once, before he flew further up, letting them drop down into the burning town.

"Time to go," the hatted dwarf exclaimed, as he turned back to Fili, who was still stood in shock at Bofur's decision. He did not have time to express his feelings though, as Bofur rushed past him, grabbing him by the collar to pull him along. Fili stumbled after him through the alleyway back to the front of the house.

"Where are you going?" Fili called out as Bofur dragged him further along, away from Bard's house. They swiftly ducked into another alley as the dragon flew overhead once more, and both of them looked up to see the underside of Smaug's belly glow red with fire.

Bofur waited until the dragon was circling around to the other side of the town before he finally answered, getting back into motion. Fili followed, now without having to be dragged. "I came past the jail cells when I was looking for the Kingsfoil," he explained, raising his voice to call over the sound of screams and roaring fire around them. "That's where they must have taken Bard!"

Fili just nodded as he followed after his friend, feeling the wood of the town's foundation vibrate beneath his feet as the dragon attacked another part of the town. Not long and the whole of Esgaroth would sink to the very bottom of this lake, the blond dwarf thought, dread filling his stomach. The two dwarves made their way through the streets as fast as they could, though their path was impeded again and again by rubble and walls of burning wood, forcing them to take a much longer route to the jail cells than they would have liked.

People were running through the streets away from the dragon, though the beast kept circling around, making it hard to tell which part of the town he would descend upon next. They were trying to get to boats, any boat would do, to get out of the town. Fili's head was spinning slightly as he tried to keep his thoughts fixed on their goal, but the screams of the town and the heat of the fire were impossible to ignore. He felt sweat and grime gather on his skin as he ran after Bofur, slowly losing hope that they would reach the jail cells in time before Lake Town would fall.

"Over there!" Bofur called out as they reached a small square at the other side of which stood the small prison of the town. The two dwarves' eyes widened as they saw its walls already going up in flames. Half of the building had collapsed under one of Smaug's attacks, the roof having caved in. Fili and Bofur quickly glanced toward the sky, but for the moment, Smaug was nowhere to be seen, no doubt lurking somewhere above the town.

"Come on," Fili said as he gave the hatted dwarf a stern nod, and together they quickly made their way across the square, not wanting to remain in open terrain for any prolonged amount of time. There were no guards left at the prison, not alive anyway. Fili felt his heart sink to his stomach as he saw two men lying dead by the half-collapsed entrance, their bodies hidden beneath their charred armour.

He swallowed the fear bubbling in his stomach and instead silently helped Bofur as they lifted a fallen pillar of wood out of the way so that they could get inside the jail.

"Bard!" Fili called as they entered, smoke filling his lungs and tears filling his eyes as he looked through the falling ashes for the Lakeman. "Bard, are you in here? Bard!"

"Hello?" Bofur exclaimed behind him. "Anybody here? Bard!"

Fili took careful steps over the fallen rubble, his throat feeling more and more scratchy as he breathed in the grime and smoke. He called out again, and again, without an answer. And once more, the dwarf felt a panic fill his heart, a fear that they would not find Bard and that he was risking his and Bofur's life for nothing. That they would not make it out and he would never see his brother or Arinna again, even though he had promised to return.

"BARD!" he called again, his loud voice cracking slightly. And it was then, when they were almost at the far end of the jail cells, that he finally got an answer.

"Over here! I'm in here!"

The two dwarves rushed toward the origin of the voice, stumbling over the uneven ground. They found Bard locked into a small cell, most of which was still intact, though it mattered very little, as the whole roof would collapse onto their heads if they did not get out soon.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a dwarf in my entire life," Bard half-laughed. The Lakeman's face showed shock but genuine relief as he looked at them and while Bofur gave him a small nod in appreciation, Fili was looking around, trying to figure out how to get him out of his cell.

"The door is broken," he finally said, looking at the upper right corner of the iron jail door, which had been knocked out of its hinge by a bit of the wall that had fallen.

"I've already tried to bust it open. I could not get it to budge," Bard exclaimed and Fili gave a short nod, though he quickly directed his gaze toward Bofur who was studying the door with a small frown. Large pieces of stone wall had bent and damaged the side of the door, effectively blocking the lower hinge from moving.

"What do you think?" Fili asked.

"It's shoddy work. Should be doable," answered Bofur. "If we both try."

The blond dwarf nodded and Bard could only stare as the two dwarves stepped up to the door, and suddenly Bofur lifted up one of the large pieces of stone that was blocking the door with his bare hands. The Lakeman's eyes widened as he saw the dwarf lift it with little effort, Fili following suit with another huge piece. The pieces had barely budged when he had thrown himself against the door with all his weight, proving that he had underestimated these dwarves in more than one way. It only took a few moments until the door was laid free and Bard kept watching nervously as Bofur bent down and grasped the bottom bar of the door, while Fili did the same, grabbing hold of the iron right next to the lower hinge.

"Ready?" Bofur asked and waited for Fili's nod before they began to lift the door in unison. The iron screeched slightly beneath the force of their pull, trying to get the second hinge to pop out. The roof groaned above them and Bard glanced up only momentarily before he suddenly heard a loud clank followed by a sharp outcry.

"Fili!" Bofur cried out, letting go of the door as it had finally given way, and while Bard pushed his way through the now open gap between broken wall and door, he pulled the blond dwarf to his feet. Fili was gritting his teeth, using his right arm to hold his other close to his body. A sharp pain had stung his shoulder just as the door had given way, and he could feel his arm throb now, pain running from his left shoulder all the way to his fingertips.

"I'm alright!" he urged, feeling the whole building rumble around them, as another of Smaug's terrible snarls filled the air. "Let's go! Let's go!"

They didn't hesitate. Though Fili was hurt, there was no time to take care of that now. They rushed out of the collapsing building, hearing bits of the roof cave in behind them as the fire kept eating away at it. They ran across the small square, ducking as Smaug once again swooped over them, breathing fire on the streets just beside the jail.

"I have to kill it!" Bard called loudly as they ran through the narrow streets. The dwarves rushed after him as he steered them through the streets, expertly ducking into alleyways between burning houses. "Where is the black arrow?"

Fili couldn't bring up the strength to answer while running after Bard and Bofur, still trying to hold his left arm close to his body as further pain shot through it with every step he ran. He tried to keep his breathing even as he heard Bofur call out in reply to the Lakeman, saying that his son had told them that he'd hidden the arrow in a boat by the town square. Bard said nothing in reply, or if he did, Fili couldn't make it out over the noise of the chaos around them. Instead, they kept running and as the blond dwarf looked up, he realised that the Lakeman had managed to lead them to the town square unharmed within only a few minutes.

He was breathing heavily as they came to a halt by the end of an alley, looking up to the sky to make sure that it was safe to leave cover. Fili couldn't see Smaug, but as he let his gaze wander, he also realised that there were hardly any boats left by the square, having been taken by the people fleeing the town. What if the arrow was no longer here? He didn't have time to dwell on his thoughts as Bard ran out of cover and both dwarves followed on his heels, the small group dispersing without a word to search the few remaining boats as quickly as possible.

It was in the second boat he searched that Fili found the large black arrow along with Bard's bow. "Over here!" he yelled as loudly as he could, picking up both items clumsily in his right hand while his left arm hung limply at his side. The other two rushed over to him instantly and it was at the same time that a screech filled the air, making a fearful shiver run down the blond dwarf's spine. He looked up to the night sky, which was illuminated by the light of the burning town, and saw the dragon rush down toward them, his open mouth glowing with red fire.

"DUCK!"

Fili wasn't sure who was shouting but he did not hesitate as the wall of fire descended upon the square. He jumped as far as he could, feeling the heat of the fire scorch his furs before he hit the ground with a painful thud, landing on his already injured arm with a pained outcry that was drowned out in the noise of the dragon's blast. He looked up and glanced around frantically, finding Bofur lying only a few feet away from him, already struggling back to his feet. The hatted dwarf was quick to help him up, pulling Fili onto his feet by his uninjured arm. It was only when they turned back around to find Bard, that they realised that the Lakeman was further away, though also on his feet again, on the other side of a wall of fire that now cut right through the middle of the square.

"BARD!" Fili called, while Bofur waved toward the man. "Are you alright?!"

"Yes!" The Lakeman shouted over the fire, and Fili squinted to see him hold something up over his head. "I have the arrow! I will end this once and for all!"

Bofur shook his head, his fearful voice ringing out over the square. "Bard, no!" he called. "Not by yourself! We'll go around –"

"No! You must go!" Bard answered, his stern voice silencing Bofur as it cut through the cracking of the burning wood beneath their feet. Through the fire, Fili could see that the Lakeman's eyes were fierce and determined, he would not have them help him any further. "There is nothing more you can do now! Go! Flee!"

And before either of the dwarves could say anything else, Bard had turned away and was running to the other end of the square, before he disappeared in another alleyway. Fili stared in disbelief at the spot where he had vanished for a few moments, before he suddenly felt a hard tug on his sleeve.

"We need to go! The beast is circling back around!" Bofur yelled, pointing at the sky, as Fili turned his head toward him. The prince just nodded, not bothering to look up to the sky to confirm Bofur's words. Instead, they began running once more, throwing themselves into a half-collapsed alley as Smaug's roar filled the air.


	26. The end of Smaug

**On we go! Thanks very much to Xoxo and blasttyrant for your reviews on the last chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'd love to read your thoughts on this one!**

* * *

Arinna felt her head still spinning slightly as they finally reached the shore. Kili and Bain had rowed the small boat through the narrow paths of the town as fast as they could, though it had been difficult to move quickly while the dragon had circled above their heads. Again and again, they had stopped behind houses or under bridges, ducking down and hoping that the dragon would not spew his fire there. Along with countless other boats, they had navigated their way through the town, though many of them had not made it as far as them.

The druid shuddered at the fresh memory of a group of boats, mere yards from them, going up in flames to the sound of Smaug's hellish laughter filling the air above. She was ripped out of her thoughts as Bain and Kili both got out of the boat and pulled it onto the shore, and she looked up to meet Sigrid's gaze across the small space, her arms wrapped tightly around her little sister, who was snuggled into her side, trembling visibly.

"Come on," Kili urged, holding out his hands to help the two girls out of the boat. They complied slowly and Arinna watched them take a few uncertain steps on the muddy bank until they had reached their brother, before she accepted Kili's outstretched hand. He kept her steady as she climbed out of the boat and she gave him a small nod in thanks, though he still kept a firm hold of her upper arm as they stood together on the shore, feeling her sway slightly. Arinna's gaze shortly wandered over the shore, seeing people, families, making their way onto solid ground, crying and shouting as they fled their homes.

"Arinna…" Kili breathed beside her and it was only then that the druid turned her head, unwillingly following the dwarf's gaze. Until now, she had not allowed herself to look back, had tried not to think the horrible thoughts that were threatening to invade her mind ever since they had parted with Fili and Bofur. But now, her gaze found the horror she had been trying to evade.

Lake Town was burning. The city was enveloped by flames so high that you could barely make out any buildings anymore. Black smoke rose tall into the sky, a night sky that was illuminated by red and orange light, fuelled by the flames below. And high above there was the dragon, circling around and coming back down with such force that the sound of his destruction carried all the way across the lake.

The druid felt a lump build in her throat as her eyes were glued to the scene before her, the fiery glow mirroring in her wide eyes as she stared. She tried to take a breath but found it hard to pass the air through her lungs, as it turned into a quiet sob. She felt Kili's hold on her loosen slightly as Smaug spewed more fire from the sky, and she fell to her knees, unable to tear her eyes away from the burning town. How could anyone survive that?

Kili knelt down beside her only moments later as another sob rattled through her throat without her even noticing. The whole world around her was a blur. She barely noticed the brunet dwarf wrapping his arms firmly around her, pulling her against his chest in a tight hug as they both stared toward the lake. The druid could not describe the desperation she felt. All she could think was that Fili was still in there. Fili and Bofur, whom she both loved, who had risked their lives for the sake of Bard and that town, and who would die in vain as the dragon destroyed it all without a care in the world.

The screams that were coming from the middle of the lake were slowly dying down, drowned out by the all-surpassing sound of Smaug's laughter. Arinna had never heard such a horrible sound in her life. Dark, sneering, chilling to the bone. It sent a cold shiver down her spine. How could anyone still be alive in there?

Her vision was blurry with tears when she turned her head away, unable to take the sight any longer. She buried her head against Kili's shoulder as the dwarf kept a tight hold around her. He felt the druid sob against him, his own heart heavy in his chest as he kept staring at the burning town. He had never seen such chaos, such destruction. And though he knew that there was little hope, his heart did not allow him to look away. And so, it was Kili who saw it first.

The dragon had circled around again and was descending upon the already destroyed town once more, belly aglow with the fire within as he prepared to release his flames once again. He was flying low, his clawed feet catching the few still intact roofs and pulling them off their foundations. Smaug's laughter rang over the lake as he angled upwards again, but then, just as he began his ascent into the sky anew, something struck him right in his glowing belly and his laughter stopped abruptly. Instead, it turned into a harsh, high-pitched snarl, which echoed across the water. Kili watched with wide eyes, uncomprehending, as the dragon flapped its wings, trying to get higher up. But Smaug seemed to be struggling now, and suddenly stopped mid-flight. The dragon drew in an enormous breath as its wings flapped desperately now, and the light in the beast's belly was suddenly extinguished. Kili saw a small flame escape Smaug's open mouth before he fell from the sky.

"Look! LOOK!" Kili cried out loudly, though others had also become aware of the scene in the meantime. Arinna only raised her head slowly, watching through tear-filled eyes.

The impact of the dragon hitting the town below with full force, as it came crashing from the sky, made huge waves erupt from the middle of the lake. Laketown's foundations groaned and cracked under Smaug's weight before they gave way and began to sink. The druid, along with everyone else on the shore, watched the fires being extinguished as the town descended into the depths of the lake, Smaug's dead body slowly being submerged until there was nothing to be seen on the surface anymore except the broken outlines of a burnt town and the pillars of smoke and steam that rose high into the now dark night sky.

"He's dead!" Someone called across the shore, though Arinna did not recognise the voice. Others soon joined it. "Smaug is dead!"

The druid did not react to their cries, in fact, she didn't move at all as her gaze was glued to the ruins of the town. There was nothing there now. No one.

"Arinna…"

She did not react to Kili's voice, barely noticing how he was still holding her tightly, afraid that she was just going to keel over if he let go. Kili couldn't help his own tears escaping as he looked at her, knowing that she was thinking the exact thoughts that were in his own mind. It was over now. Smaug was dead. But so was the town. And so were the people who had not made it out in time. He shortly glanced up as the three children gathered around them, holding onto each other, unsure of what to do or say as they stared helplessly. Bard had not made it out, Kili thought. Fili and Bofur had not made it out.

He looked back at the druid in his arms. Arinna was still staring into the middle of the lake, though her tear-veiled eyes were distant. Kili had never seen such a look on her face. She was pale, her gaze almost vacant. Her body felt limp against his own, as though all energy had left her. She seemed so small, so broken, that Kili felt as though she would fall apart if he let go of her. And he felt much the same way himself.

"Arinna," he uttered again, quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, though he wasn't sure what he even meant to say. He felt his voice quiver as he struggled to get the word past the lump in his throat. The druid began to shake her head then as she let out one word, which was enough to make the dwarf's tears fall.

"No…" she breathed, shaking her head again and again, before she turned her head and looked at Kili with desperate eyes. "No… No! No! No! NO! NO!"

Kili felt a sob escape him as she began to scream at the top of her lungs and he quickly threw his arms around her. She continued to sob the word against his shoulder as he hugged her tightly, letting his own head sink onto hers as he cried for his lost brother and friend.

* * *

Arinna didn't know how long they stayed in that position, when she finally registered another voice than Kili's. It was Bain, who was speaking somewhere close by, his loud voice carrying over toward them.

"Look! Over there, in the water!"

The druid felt Kili's head move slightly. She felt him hesitate, then tense, before he slowly pulled back from her. Arinna was too exhausted to say anything or react at all, as he gently let go of her and manoeuvred her into a sitting position. She sat on the cold damp ground, her gaze set on the ground as she watched Kili's boots while he got up and moved a few steps toward Bain, who was standing by the lake's edge. For a little while there was only silence, and then –

"FILI!"

Arinna's gaze shot up, staring at Kili's back as he waded into the water, before she found what he was walking toward. The druid felt her breath falter and her heart stop for a few seconds as she saw Bofur making his way to the shallow edge of the lake, struggling to keep upright as he had one of Fili's arms draped across his shoulders, dragging the blond prince along.

The druid's hand flew to her mouth as a huge sob escaped her, relief flooding her whole body as she drew her knees to her chest and wept. It was too much. Too many emotions were invading her heart and mind. They were not dead. She had not lost them, had not lost Fili. Arinna watched as they made it to the shore, watched as Kili threw himself at his brother, who winced at the suffocating hug Kili gave him, though he returned it eagerly. Next was Bofur, who looked exhausted and dirty as he returned Kili's embrace, leaving Fili to walk the last bit to the shore by himself. All the while, Arinna could not stop crying.

She stared at him as he slowly made his way toward her, noticing that his left arm hung awkwardly at his side as he tried not to move it. She could not get up, could not find the strength to move at all, even as he reached her. Another sob left her as he carefully knelt down in front of her, his pale blue eyes looking at her and standing out in stark contrast to his grimy face and the wet hair that clung to his head. Arinna closed her eyes for a second, more tears falling down her cheeks as she reached out her right hand until it connected with his wet coat and her fingers quickly gripped the fabric as tightly as they could.

"_I thought you were dead_," she whimpered after another few seconds, opening her eyes to see Fili's face illuminated with a small, tired but gentle smile. She sniffed loudly, her hand gripping his coat even tighter, making sure that he was actually there, as he brought up his own right hand to cover hers.

"I promised I'd come back to you, didn't I?" he muttered, kind eyes searching her face. His voice was raspy, strained with exhaustion, but his eyes were as gentle as ever. "I'll always come back to you, my love."

It was then that Arinna finally found the strength to move, though it was entirely out of instinct, as she pulled herself to her knees and threw her arms around Fili's neck, unable to help the tears of relief spilling from her eyes onto his already wet clothes as she pressed her face into his shoulder. She heard his quiet hiss at the impact, though he did not give her time to think about it as he wrapped his good arm around her tightly and held her against his chest. He let his head sink onto her shoulder, breathing in and out deeply several times to calm himself down, inhaling her familiar scent.

It was several long moments before Arinna slowly pulled back, bringing both her hands up to Fili's face. She gently wiped her thumbs across his cheeks, streaking across the dirt and grime, giving the dwarf a tearful smile, before she pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss. Fili leaned into her touch, a sigh escaping him as he returned her embrace. Their eyes found each other once more as the druid pulled back and Fili used his right hand to wipe away the last of her tears before he gently leaned his forehead against hers.

"I love you," Arinna murmured, letting out a deep breath at his touch. Fili just hummed in return, the low sound emanating from deep within his chest as he lightly rubbed his nose against hers.

"So, I assume it's fair to say that you two are an item, then?"

The two broke apart at Bofur's voice, looking up to find the dwarf – who had amazingly managed to keep hold of his hat during all the chaos – gazing down at them with a tired but slightly cheeky smile.

Fili exchanged a short look with the druid in his arms, before he looked back to Bofur with a slight smile. "Aye," he said. "That would be fair."

"Had an inkling," Bofur nodded sagely. "The farewell kiss at the dock was an indicator."

"Shrewdly observed," Arinna uttered with a dry smile, causing Bofur's lips to stretch into a small grin. She looked back at Fili for a moment, before her gaze drifted over his shoulder, once again finding the remains of the destroyed town in the middle of the lake.

She let out a shallow breath. "_And the lake will shine and burn_," she muttered, remembering the words of the prophecy that the townsfolk had told them about, that they had placed all their hopes on.

A heavy silence hung over the group at her words, before it was finally Bofur who spoke up again, though all cheek had now left his voice. His tone was sombre as he looked around the group. "Aye… but the beast is dead now. It was Bard –", he turned toward the three children huddled together in a group, giving them a small smile, "- it was your father who slayed the dragon. His arrow hit its mark."

"But where is he?" Tilda asked quietly, the small girl's voice weighing heavy on them.

Bofur's gaze turned to the ground for a moment, before he exchanged a sad look with Fili. The blond dwarf drew in a deep breath, before he slowly got to his feet, using his good arm to pull Arinna up alongside him. He gripped her hand tightly as he directed his gaze toward Bard's children.

"I don't know," he said solemnly. He could barely find the words to tell them. "We found him in the prison cells, and managed to retrieve his bow and the black arrow after we freed him. But… he went alone to kill the beast. Last we saw him was in the town square."

None of the children said anything for a long moment, though their faces betrayed their feelings at the news. Their father had still been in the town somewhere when Smaug had come tumbling from the sky and had taken the whole of Laketown down into the deep with him. Slow tears began to trickle down Tilda's face and her big sister quickly wrapped her arms around her in a protective hug.

"I'm sorry," Fili muttered, not knowing what else to say. He had only known Bard for a short time but had come to respect him more than any Man he had met until now. Bard was a good man, brave and loyal, with a kind heart. It was not fair that he should have died killing the dragon. He should not have paid with his life for a mistake that their company had made. If it hadn't been for them, if it had not been for 'the lord of silver fountains', the dragon would never have attacked the town, and all these people that Fili saw stranded on the shore now would still have their homes – and their lives. Bard's children would still have their father.

Fili watched as the three children huddled together, not knowing what to say and instead turning back to his own people. His gaze drifted over Kili and Bofur, both of whom looked exhausted as they returned his gaze. He still had Arinna's hand wrapped tightly within his own, unwilling to let go of her quite yet, as dawn was slowly beginning to break on the horizon. The blond prince looked up to see the pale light of the sun illuminate the lake and he slowly shook his head, his eyes falling on the peak of the Lonely Mountain that loomed in the distance.

"We must go," he finally said, earning the other's attention at his unexpected words. Kili sent him a surprised look, clearly taken aback by the suggestion.

"Go where?" he asked.

"To the mountain," Fili answered with a small sigh, though he sounded determined. "The company might still be alive up there. We must go and join them in the mountain."

"Now?" Kili reiterated, throwing a short glance toward Bard's children who were sat on the shore now, a little distance away. His gaze then wandered over the rest of the townsfolk that were stranded on the lake shore. "We can't just… leave, can we?"

Fili shook his head. "There is nothing here for us to do," he replied, feeling Arinna's hand slip from his at his words. He turned to look from Kili toward her. "We cannot help them."

"Kili is right, we can't just leave," Arinna answered quietly, a small frown creasing her forehead as she looked at the blond dwarf sternly. She tilted her head slightly to point at Sigrid, Tilda and Bain. "What of them? You would just have us abandon them here? After what has happened?"

"They can take care of themselves," Fili uttered, causing the druid to shake her head.

"They are just children," she almost hissed, clearly growing angry with him. "Who may have just lost their father and their home. You of all people should know how that feels, Fili."

The blond dwarf hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say, though he still felt that it would be their best option to leave for the mountain now. Kili nodded at Arinna's words, however, it was Bofur who spoke up next, his voice hesitant but serious as he addressed the group.

"I'm with Fili," he said, earning himself a surprised look from Kili and Arinna. He gave a small shrug. "I know it is a hard thing to do, but we cannot help these people, or the children. We cannot take them with us and we cannot stay here, we have nothing to give them. They are with their own people here, and they will find their way. But now that Smaug is dead, word will soon spread. And all eyes will turn to the mountain. I agree with Fili; we must go and find the others. And then we will figure everything out from there."

Fili gave the hatted dwarf a firm nod, turning his gaze to his little brother. Kili looked uneasy, his gaze drifting between his brother and the three children that he had come to know. He was silent for a few moments, before he finally shook his head unwillingly.

"I suppose…" he muttered, not quite in agreement but caving under the pressure of Fili's and Bofur's words. He couldn't deny that a big part of him wanted to go to the mountain, to find his uncle and his friends, but the other part of him did not want to leave these three children behind by themselves.

Fili just accepted his little brother's words with another small nod. His eyes turned to the druid among them and he let out a small sigh at the expression on her face, anger clear to see in her dark green eyes. She shook her head at them, her jaw clenching.

"I cannot believe you."

"It is decided," Fili said, causing the druid to glare at him. He was too tired for this argument. "We are leaving now."

"What about your arm? We should get it tended to before –" Kili uttered quietly, though Fili interrupted him with a shake of his head, perhaps a little too harshly.

"I'll be fine. We're leaving."

Arinna stared at the blond dwarf for a moment, not knowing what to say. She had not expected him to behave this way, after everything that had happened tonight. Though it seemed as though she had no other choice but to go along with their decision, knowing that she did not want to be parted from these three dwarves by deciding to stay behind. She let out a low breath, before she gave an unwilling nod.

"Fine," she growled, avoiding Fili's touch as he reached out his hand toward her in an apologetic gesture. Instead, she turned and walked past him, making her way over to Sigrid, Tilda and Bain. Fili watched with a heavy heart as she addressed them quietly, her voice too low for him to hear what she was saying. The children looked up at her as she spoke, their faces sad and tired as they nodded slowly. The blond prince kept watching as the three of them stood to give the druid a hug.

Arinna's gaze was troubled as she turned away from the children after another few moments, making her way back to the three dwarves waiting for her. Once again, Fili reached out toward her, and once again the druid evaded his touch, sending him a frosty look as she moved past him. The three of them exchanged a short look as Arinna stalked ahead, moving through the people gathered around the shore.

Fili let out a deep sigh as he gave the others a small nod, motioning for them to follow. It would take them a while to reach the mountain on foot, at least a day or two with how tired they were and Kili's still injured leg, as well as Fili's injured arm. The blond dwarf could only hope that Arinna would speak to him again before they reached Erebor.


	27. Beneath the trees

**Happy last of September, have a new chapter! Thanks very much to purple-pygmy-puff16, ValarenOfGondor, blasttyrant and Beatrice3 for your reviews. I really loved reading them, short and long! Let me know your thoughts on this one.**

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They had been walking for several hours, the midday sun shining high above their heads as they made their way along the lake's edge. Fili was now at the head of the group, keeping a steady pace as the others followed behind him. Kili was walking along with Bofur by his side, occasionally talking quietly with the hatted dwarf, while Arinna was making up the tail of the group. She hadn't spoken at all since they had departed in the morning, keeping her gaze to the ground as she walked along.

She was still angry that they had just left the people of Laketown, and especially Bard's children, to fend for themselves. Of course, she understood that the others wanted to join up with the rest of their company, she did, too, – if they were even still alive, that was, though she didn't want to linger on that thought –, but leaving them just did not sit right with her.

"Don't be too angry with him."

The druid looked up at the sound of the voice, finding that Kili had fallen back slightly and had come to walk beside her. The brunet dwarf shot her a sympathetic look as she pressed her lips together shortly.

"What do you mean?"

Kili merely looked at her knowingly. "It can't have been an easy choice for him," he muttered, shooting a small glance toward Fili, who was still walking alone at the head of the group. "You must know that he cares for the safety of those children, just as much as the rest of us. It's just that we have our own family to worry about."

"You say that as though it justifies leaving them stranded on the shore."

Kili let out a small sigh, rubbing one hand over his stubbly cheeks. "Of course, not… I just don't want you to think badly of Fili for it."

"I appreciate that you want to defend him, Kili," Arinna uttered, looking over at the brunet dwarf with a suppressed sigh. "But it's not as though I was the only one disagreeing with him. You weren't very keen on his plan either, if I remember correctly."

"No, but –"

Arinna continued as Kili tried to search for the right words to say. "I just don't understand how he could come away from everything that happened last night without even giving them a second thought."

Kili wasn't sure what to say to that, and so he just let out another sigh, continuing to walk with her in silence. They kept going for another few hours, until they had made it to the other side of the lake, the distant mountain now looming tall before them. Arinna's gaze had by now begun to drift more frequently to the blond dwarf who was leading the way. Not because she felt in any way inclined to talk to him, but she could tell even from this distance that he had been struggling with his arm for a while. It must have hurt ever since they left, but walking for this long with an untreated injury after no doubt being exhausted as it was, would not have helped the situation at all.

"Fili!" Kili called out then, him and Bofur stopping in their tracks in the shade of a few trees scattered along the far edge of the lake, making Arinna stop as well as she came to a halt beside them. The blond dwarf looked back over his shoulder. "Let's make camp here for today. I can't make it much further with my leg, and no doubt your arm could use a break as well."

"I'm fine," Fili replied stubbornly, though he turned around to them with a sigh. Kili just shot his brother a pointed look.

"Alright then," he uttered, pointing to himself and the other two. "You're fine. But we're all tired. So, let's rest for a while, brother."

Fili just nodded in return, and they gathered together in the shelter of the few trees. They had nothing to make camp. No bedrolls, no blankets, no food. It wasn't long before the cold began to penetrate their clothes as they were sat around in a small circle. While Arinna and Fili both remained silent, Kili exchanged a small look with Bofur, who just gave him a nod. The brunet dwarf got up then, closely followed by Bofur.

"We should at least get a fire going," he uttered seriously, as the druid and his brother looked up at him in slight surprise. Arinna just nodded tiredly, while Fili made to stand up. Kili quickly shook his head at his brother. "Bofur and I will go. You need to keep your arm still, nadad. We'll be back in a bit."

Arinna watched the two dwarves retreat into the thicket, letting out a small sigh as they disappeared from her sight. She would be more than glad for a warming fire, she thought, as a small shiver ran through her. She glanced over at Fili, who was leaning heavily against the trunk of a tree behind him, holding his left arm close to his body with his other. His eyes were distant, staring out onto the outlines of the lake. The druid remained quiet for another few moments, just staring at the blond dwarf until he turned his head slightly, as though he had felt her gaze on him. They looked at each other silently for a moment, Fili's blue eyes searching her own, until she finally spoke up.

"Will you let me take a look at your arm?" she asked in a low voice, finally addressing the worried knot that had been twisting in her stomach since the morning.

Fili tilted his head slightly, his eyes not leaving hers. Arinna couldn't quite decipher the thoughts behind his pale blue gaze. "I didn't think you'd want to."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You've been avoiding me all day," Fili stated, though his voice remained calm, as did the expression on his face. Arinna let out another sigh.

"Because I was angry with you," she uttered. "That doesn't mean that I want you to suffer in silence."

"I'm fine."

The druid barely refrained from rolling her eyes, instead giving him a pointed look. "Fili."

"You could have offered your help sooner," he said quietly, though he nodded for her to come closer at the same time. Arinna got to her feet and made her way over to him, giving the dwarf another weary look as she kneeled down at his side.

"You could have asked," she pointed out, causing Fili to tilt his head once more, this time in agreement. He hummed quietly as she made to open the clasps of his coat.

"The stubbornness of dwarves," he muttered, drawing an unwilling smile from the druid despite herself. He groaned quietly as Arinna helped him out of his coat, removing his garments one layer at a time until he was sat in his undershirt and she could get a good look at his arm. His shoulder was swollen and covered in a large bruise, and Fili hissed as Arinna prodded it lightly with her fingertips.

"It's dislocated," she concluded, shooting him a small look as she grabbed hold of his arm and angled it slightly. Fili was watching her with a clenched jaw. "This is going to hurt."

Fili just nodded, bracing himself and still crying out in pain as the druid popped his shoulder back into place in one swift move. Arinna laid her hand on it as he let out a shuddering breath. "Sorry," she muttered, but the dwarf just shook his head at her, taking a few deep breaths. His shoulder was throbbing but feeling better already than it had all day.

"Thank you," he uttered quietly, looking at her earnestly as she sat back on her heels.

"I don't have anything to fashion you a proper sling," she replied, a small frown creasing her forehead. "You'll have to keep it as rested as you can. Don't make any sudden movements with it, no lifting anything heavy with it, no –"

"I get the gist," Fili nodded, giving her a small smile as she fell silent. She gave him a jerky nod, remaining sat on her heels, seemingly not quite knowing what to do with herself. Fili sighed quietly, his smile fading as he searched her face. "I know it was difficult for you to leave today."

Arinna twisted her hands in her lap, shaking her head slightly at his words. "It didn't seem like you understood."

"I do," he assured her with another sigh, sitting up slightly against the tree behind him while Arinna twisted in her position, sitting down on the ground with her legs folded beside her. He reached out tentatively, putting his hand over hers in her lap. She didn't pull away this time. "Of course, I understand. It was difficult for me, too. For all of us. But there was nothing left for us to do –"

"You mean after waking the dragon that destroyed their home and killed their father."

Fili's gaze dropped to the ground for a moment at the bitterness of her words, feeling guilt bubbling in his stomach. He thought for a moment, knowing that her words were harsh but nonetheless true. He still wasn't sure whether leaving Bard's children had been the right decision, though he had spent the day trying to convince himself of it.

"We could not have known what would happen. Thorin –"

Arinna shook her head, interrupting him once more as she pulled her hands from his grasp. "This quest was always going to end in death, Fili. We were just too blind. You cannot… you cannot steal from a live dragon and expect it to go smoothly. Thorin took that risk, we all took that risk, ignoring the fact that our decision could destroy the lives of hundreds, even when Bard warned us. Even when we knew of the prophecy."

"You said yourself that prophecies are fickle things," Fili answered slowly, unsure of how to respond. He could see in her face the guilt that she felt, for he felt much the same way. "How were we to know that this one would come true?"

"We should have _known_," Arinna whispered, wiping at the tears that had gathered in her eyes and were threatening to fall down her cheeks. The sight sent a sharp sting through the dwarf's heart. "We should have known, Fili."

Fili reached for her once more, grasping her arm tightly when she tried to evade his touch again. She didn't struggle as he pulled her closer, sinking into herself as she dropped her head. The blond dwarf reached up to wipe at her cheeks, before he gently grasped her chin between his fingers, forcing her to look at him as he spoke.

"Arinna, listen to me. What happened last night was terrible, and yes, it was our company that woke the dragon. That is a mistake that can never be rectified. But we cannot change that now. We can't change what happened. All we can do now is to try and make amends. We go to the mountain, we find Thorin. He will make good on his promise to the townspeople and they will be able to rebuild their homes. Bain, Sigrid and Tilda will be able to rebuild their home, that's what we can do for them."

Arinna sniffled quietly, shaking her head as she spoke in a small voice. "It's not enough."

Fili let out a deep sigh, his heart heavy as he took in her sad, helpless expression. "I know," he muttered honestly. "But it's all we can do."

Arinna said nothing as Fili gently ran his thumb across her jaw, her eyes still watery when the noise of Kili and Bofur coming back to camp broke through the silence. Arinna pulled away from Fili's touch, though she stayed sitting beside him as the two dwarves arrived in their midst, wiping at her eyes one last time.

"Everything alright?" Kili asked as he put down some dry wood on the ground in their midst, noticing the druid's reddened eyes. She gave him a tiny smile, nodding her head to appease the worried look on his face. The brunet dwarf watched her for another moment before he gave a small nod, and while he and Bofur continued to set up the fire, Fili put his discarded clothes back on, fastening the clasps on his coat just as the fire sprang to life.

The sky had grown dark by now and the fire radiated a comforting light in the darkness, giving off warmth that they all needed. They had gathered closely around it, Arinna and Fili still sitting together, though they had both fallen silent once more, while Bofur and Kili sat on opposite sides of the fire. They spoke little all evening, all of them still reeling from the events of the previous night and day.

That was, until Bofur, who had been fidgeting with something in his pocket for almost an hour now, finally cleared his throat rather loudly, causing the others to look at him with raised eyebrows. He smiled, directing his gaze toward Fili, who was giving him a questioning look.

"Here," the hatted dwarf said, pulling the two objects out of his pocket and throwing them to the prince, who caught them mid-air with his good arm. Bofur watched as Fili opened his palm, his smile widening into a grin while Fili's expression turned from surprise to utter confusion.

"Courting beads?" Fili uttered, his eyes wide and not understanding as he stared at Bofur across the fire.

The hatted dwarf nodded. "Aye," he answered, his gaze falling on Arinna, who looked at the small silver beads in Fili's hands and then at Bofur, as well. "I think you have much better use for them than I do."

A silence hung over the camp as Fili stared at the small silver clasps in his hand for a few long moments, before he turned his gaze to the druid beside him. She returned his gaze with a surprised one of her own, though her features were soft, her expression calm. Fili let out a heavy breath as he looked at her, feeling his still heavy heart give a slight flutter.

"If she'll still have me, that is," he muttered quietly, staring at Arinna expectantly while the others stayed quiet. The druid couldn't help but smile slightly, nodding her head at him.

"Of course, I will," she replied softly, knowing that although she was still unsure what to make of their argument, one thing couldn't be changed. "I love you, Fili."

Fili returned her smile softly, his fingers closing over the beads, before he braved to lean forward and press a small kiss to the druid's lips. "I love you, too," he murmured against them as he pulled back, his heart feeling a little lighter in his chest all of a sudden.

"Oh, go on then!" Kili called, a big smile plastered on his face, as he gave his brother an encouraging look. Fili cleared his throat slightly, unsure of what to do. He really wanted to put his braid in Arinna's hair, did not want to hesitate any longer, but –

"I should really talk to Thorin first," he said, though his voice lacked any of its previous conviction when he uttered the thought this time. He had been certain that talking to Thorin was the right thing to do when he had explained as much to Arinna in Laketown. But that had been before they had all almost died in the dragon's firestorm and he had come close to missing his chance with her completely.

Kili rolled his eyes at his brother's words, while Bofur just snorted.

"I'm sure he'll understand, lad," the hatted dwarf exclaimed with a wave of his hand. "Besides, we could all do with a bit of happiness right about now. And you two have been dancing around each other for months, Kili and I deserve this. We need closure."

"Closure," Arinna repeated with a small shake of her head and a smile. Bofur just gave her an emphatic nod. She exchanged another look with Fili who was smiling to himself, and he just gave her a small nod. He positioned himself beside her then, and she sat still as he brought up both his hands to her hair.

"I told you not to use your arm too much," she uttered as he carefully and expertly plaited together strands of her hair behind her left ear. She could hear the smile in his voice as he answered her quietly.

"This is worth it."

Despite the painful throbbing in his arm, Fili finished his braid within minutes, proudly finishing it off with one of the silver courting beads. Arinna's efforts took a little longer, as she was rather out of practice with braiding another person's hair. She plaited together Fili's blond strands while Bofur and Kili encouraged her along the way, the blond dwarf himself just sitting in silence as he let her work with a smile on his face. Arinna gave her finished work a small tug after she had fastened the second bead around the end of the braid. Fili looked up at her with a raised eyebrow and the druid laughed quietly at the pointed look on his face, reminding her of what he had told her about such actions.

The druid smiled and leaned in for a kiss, which Fili was happy to return. They broke apart with slightly red faces as their two companions began to fill the camp with claps and laughter. Arinna leaned her head against Fili's uninjured shoulder after they had calmed down again and the group had fallen into a comfortable silence.

"So, Bofur," Kili finally said with a raised eyebrow. "Are you going to tell us why you've been carrying courting beads around with you all this time?"

A wistful smile played on Bofur's face as he shook his head slightly. He thought for a moment about the dwarrowdam that he had meant to give the beads to. How he had carried them with him to the tavern that she worked at in the Ered Luin on the day of his departure for the quest, and how he had chickened out when he had seen her through the window, thinking that he would just wait a bit longer. That perhaps he would be more worthy of her when he returned home a hero, after they had succeeded in taking back Erebor. But he said nothing of that out loud.

Instead, the hatted dwarf just grinned at Kili and shrugged, taking a moment before he spoke. "Ye never know when a lovely lady might cross your path, do ye?"

"Indeed not," Fili agreed with a rumbling laugh, entwining his fingers with the druid's as he shook his head to himself.


	28. A chilly reception

**Happy Sunday! Thanks very much to Xoxo, blasttyrant and Guest for your reviews on the last chapter! As always, let me know your thoughts on this one, I love to read from you.**

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They departed early the next day after a night of troubled sleep for all of them. It was a cold day and their progress was relatively slow as they made their way up the slope from the lake's edge, the mountain looming before them. They talked quietly among each other from time to time but fell quiet again for long periods of time quickly after, while the landscape around them grew bleaker the closer they got to the foot of the mountain. It was already around midday, when they finally reached the ruins of an old town, nestled into the valley before the mountain.

"Dale," Bofur breathed as they slowly made their way through the ruins. The buildings around them had caved in long ago, roofs were missing and what was left of the old stone and wood was charred and blackened from the dragon fire that had destroyed it long ago.

Arinna was looking around solemnly as she followed after the others, her heart heavy in her chest as she beheld the scene around her. There weren't only destroyed buildings but skeletons. The remains of people that had died in the firestorm, surprised by the dragon's attack on an ordinary day. The druid felt a lump build in her throat as the images before her began to mingle in her mind with images of the night Smaug had attacked Laketown.

They came across an old marketplace after a while, where some charred stalls were still manned by dead people, sending shivers running down the small company's spines. None of them said anything as they slowly made their way through the town with careful steps. It was a sight that weighed heavy on all of them, and any thoughts they had, they kept to themselves.

It wasn't until they reached what had once been the city walls to the north of the town that Arinna broke away from the group. Her gaze had been drawn by something in the distance and she slowly made her way over to the edge of the wall, the stone having caved in so much in most parts that she was able to look out over it without any problems. There in the distance she could see the far outlines of the Iron Hills on the horizon, though her gaze was set on something much closer to the town. A large rocky plain reached from the outskirts of Dale toward the East, and though it was several miles away, Arinna was able to see from her elevated point of view the charred bit of land in the distance. A few stone pillars still stood, but that was all that remained. The druid knew immediately what had once been there.

She felt someone step up beside her and she did not have to look around to know who it was as she kept staring at the spot in the distance with wide eyes.

"There's _nothing_," she muttered finally, a sudden devastation filling her unexpectedly and with great force. She shook her head slightly. "All these years, I thought of this moment. I came all this way to see my father's homeland. The place where my parents, my ancestors, lived and breathed. But there is nothing left of it at all."

Fili gently grasped the druid's hand, not knowing what to say as she kept staring straight ahead. He followed her gaze, feeling his heart sink at the sight of the charred land.

"I'm sorry, Arinna," he finally said, sadness filling his heart as he took in the conflicted look on her face. He wished he could do something to help her, to ease the obvious pain she felt at the revelation of her ancestral home, but there was little he could do.

"He used to tell me that we belonged here," the druid uttered quietly, shaking her head to herself once more as she remembered her father's words. It was as though she was talking more to herself than him. Arinna finally looked back at Fili then, who gave her hand a comforting squeeze as he returned her gaze out of compassionate blue eyes. "He always had hope. He used to dream of coming back, and after he died, that became my dream, as well. But there was never anything to come back to at all."

Her gaze wandered from Fili over the environment around them, across Dale's destroyed buildings, the remains of the people that had once lived here. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she uttered her next words.

"There is only desolation."

"Some things can be rebuilt," Fili muttered softly after a few moments, directing her gaze back to him as he gave her a sad smile that she did not return. He could not begin to know what it must feel like for her, to finally reach her destination, the place that she had planned on going to for so many years, and find it gone. His eyes drifted to the mountain that was closer than ever now, reaching high into the pale afternoon sky. Though he did not know what awaited them inside Erebor, he knew that at least the mountain would always stand.

He reached his arm around the druid then, pulling her into a comforting hug as he pressed a small kiss to her temple. She leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment, though she said nothing as her eyes wandered back to the distant bit of land that had once belonged to the druids.

Fili slowly began to pull her away from the city wall then and she followed him back to the others without a word, her hand still kept firmly in his grasp. Kili sent his brother a questioning look as they approached together, but the blond dwarf just shook his head slightly in return, instead motioning for them to keep moving. Kili did as told, though he shortly reached out to give the druid's shoulder a comforting squeeze before they began to make their way to the edge of the town. They kept going, keeping their eyes set on the mountain as they got closer to it with every passing hour.

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Bilbo was stood outside between the battlements atop the makeshift gate that they had built. That Thorin had had them build the previous day and night. The hobbit looked out over the plain before the mountain with a heavy heart, his thoughts whirling in his head as he gazed toward the Long Lake that shone beneath the sun in the distance. He remembered vividly as it had shone the night before last, though not with the sun but with dragon fire, as Smaug had come down upon it.

The beast was dead, but at what cost, Bilbo thought to himself. Laketown was destroyed, many if not most of its people dead. Bilbo could only imagine. If they had not come for the Arkenstone, if he had not woken the dragon – as he had now come to think of it as his own mistake, for playing games, riddles with such a beast – none of this would have happened. And not only had they released the dragon's wrath upon the people of Laketown, but Fili and Kili had been down there as well, and Bofur and Arinna. Bilbo did not want to imagine what had happened to his four friends, so he kept hope in his heart, though it was getting harder with every passing hour.

It did not help that Thorin seemed to be unaffected by all of this. While Bilbo and the rest of the company had helplessly watched Laketown burn with desperation in their hearts, Thorin had stood with his back turned, looking instead into the mountain's halls. He had not mentioned his nephews or the other missing members of their company even once since that night, and had even once scolded Bombur for it when the fat dwarf had relayed his fear for his brother to Bifur in hushed tones.

Bilbo sighed as he thought of Thorin. The dwarf-king had been behaving oddly for two days now, his constant bad temper making it impossible to talk to him normally, as he had the whole company relentlessly search the enormous treasure hall for the Arkenstone. He was obsessed with finding it, wild eyes searching every bit of treasure, every corner of the hall. He hadn't found it yet, and to Bilbo, of course, that came as no surprise, for it was hidden safely in the inside of his jacket pocket. He didn't quite know why he hadn't told Thorin yet that he had found it the night that he had been sent into the mountain to steal it from Smaug, but something was holding him back. Something in his gut told him that it was better if the stone remained hidden, at least for now.

"What are you doing up here, Bilbo?"

The hobbit turned around with a slight jump, finding Nori making his way toward him. He let out a relieved sigh at the sight of the red-haired dwarf, sending him a small nod in greeting. There was only one reason why Thorin would excuse someone from searching for the Arkenstone, and that was for assigned guard duty up on the battlements.

"I… I just needed some fresh air," Bilbo answered as Nori reached his side, the dwarf giving him an understanding nod as he followed his gaze out over the plain.

"Aye, I understand," he muttered. "This is the first time in my life that I actively look forward to guard duty. Not that I don't like to throw myself into a pile of treasure, usually, but turning over every coin has me spent. Especially with Thorin looking over everyone's shoulders like that."

Bilbo sighed quietly. "He's not himself."

Nori stayed quiet for a little while, and for a moment, Bilbo regretted saying it, thinking that Nori would judge him harshly for it, seeing as he was loyal to his king. But Nori just let out a low whistle, shaking his head.

"No, he is not," he muttered, before he narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, peering into the distance. He held his hand over his eyes, trying to see better against the sun. "Bilbo, come here. You've got keen eyes, what is that there in the distance?"

The hobbit did as he was told with some surprise, stepping up to the edge of the battlements and gazing out over the land, searching for a moment before his eyes found what Nori was referring to.

"It's people," Bilbo muttered, narrowing his eyes as well to focus his gaze. "Looks like they're moving toward the mountain."

"Lakemen?"

Bilbo shook his head slightly, waiting to give his answer as he watched the group move closer still. It was another while before he could make out their proper shapes against the sun.

"It's only four of them. You don't think –", he interrupted himself abruptly, earning himself a confused look from the dwarf beside him.

"What? What do you see?" Nori asked impatiently, jumping slightly when Bilbo suddenly pulled back from the edge of the wall, his face illuminated with sheer excitement. "Bilbo?"

"It's them!" he called out loudly, making Nori flinch slightly before he suddenly ran off, leaving the dwarf to stare after him in confusion. Nori looked out toward the small approaching group again, and only when he heard Bilbo calling out behind him, did he realise what the hobbit meant. "Open the gate! Open the gate!"

Bilbo kept calling out as he ran down the stairs into the halls of the mountain, knowing his way around by now, and also knowing for certain that Thorin had all the others gathered in the treasure hall. He would not be able to open the gate by himself, so he made sure to be as loud as he could as he entered the hall on slithering feet.

"OPEN THE GATE!"

The company turned around to face him immediately upon his outcry, confused stares turned toward the small hobbit who was waving his arms wildly at them.

"IT'S THE OTHERS! WE MUST OPEN THE GATE, IT'S FILI AND KILI! ARINNA AND BOFUR!"

Dwalin was the first to move, the hobbit's words stirring hope in his heart as he ran, following the hobbit as Bilbo turned on his heels and ran back toward the entrance gate. The others followed quickly, calling out to each other as they hurried to catch up with them. Only Balin remained, moving slowly toward the doorway of the treasury, while his gaze was set on Thorin, who hadn't moved.

"Thorin," the old dwarf said, apparently ripping the dwarf-king out of a deep thought as his icy blue gaze shot up to look at him. Balin gave the younger dwarf a kind smile, though worry flickered behind his eyes. "It's Fili and Kili. We should go and welcome them."

"Yes," Thorin said, though still he did not move. He seemed unwilling to leave the treasure unattended. Balin suppressed a sigh.

"Surely, we can continue our search later," he suggested and again Thorin gave a short nod, though it took him another long moment before he began to move and walked slowly toward the doorway.

"Of course," he muttered, though more to himself than to Balin, who followed behind him as they made their way through the dark halls of Erebor.

* * *

Kili had never felt as relieved as when he saw the gate open before them and found himself staring into the faces of his friends. Somewhere deep inside him, there had been the fear that perhaps they had not survived, and the feeling of that fear dissipating was the best feeling in the world to the brunet dwarf. His joyous cries mixed with happy laughter as he found himself engulfed in a flurry of hugs, pats on the back, knocking of heads. He was squeezing Ori so tightly that the dwarf cried out a little, and Kili quickly let go of him, a large smile still plastered on his face as he looked around for his uncle.

Though when after a few moments, he still could not find him among the crowd, a small frown began to crease his forehead.

"Where's…" he began to ask, but was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice and he looked up happily toward it, seeing Thorin approaching with slow steps and outstretched arms.

"Welcome, my sister-sons," the dark-haired dwarf called out, his voice sounding somehow strange to Kili's ears, overly formal. His gaze wandered between him and Fili, who had come to stand beside him now. "To the kingdom of Erebor!"

Thorin smiled at his nephews, a wide, toothy smile that seemed strained somehow. Kili dismissed the strange feeling it gave him and rushed forward, enveloping his uncle in a hug, which Thorin returned, before he turned and did the same to Fili. He patted his older nephew on the back before he let go, grasping him by the shoulders to get a good look of his face. Fili smiled at Thorin, happy to see his uncle alive and well, though he faltered slightly when Thorin's already strained smile fell, and his expression changed completely.

"What's this?" Thorin asked in a low, rumbling voice, keeping one hand unintentionally but firmly on Fili's injured shoulder, making the dwarf wince slightly, as he brought his other up to the braid behind Fili's left ear. Fili opened his mouth as his uncle twisted the end of it harshly in his grasp, his dark and confused gaze resting on the small silver bead. He didn't get a chance to speak. "A courting braid? Who on earth –"

Fili opened his mouth again to explain, but Thorin pushed him out of his way slightly before he could utter a word. He stepped past his nephew, his gaze drifting over the rest of the company as he searched for the counter part of Fili's braid. He found it quickly enough in the black hair of the druid, who was standing beside Balin, who had one arm wrapped around her still from their previous hug. The old dwarf kept it there as Thorin's heavy gaze came to rest on the small woman.

He stared at her for a moment, before a dark chuckle left his throat. He shook his head slightly, a disbelieving grin pulling on the corners of his mouth. "Surely, this must be some kind of joke," he said, half turning toward Fili, who shook his head in return. Again, the blond dwarf was about to say something, when Thorin's gaze darkened and he turned back toward the druid.

"You!" The dwarf-king growled loudly, directing everyone's attention to the situation now. No one dared say anything though, as Thorin's temper flared. "Are you _courting _my nephew? SPEAK!"

Arinna flinched at Thorin's sudden outburst, feeling Balin's hand wrap supportively around her upper arm. She looked from Thorin to Fili, not knowing what to say. "I… I…"

"You… you what?!" Thorin growled, though it was Fili who now finally spoke up, taking a few steps forward to come to stand beside his uncle.

"I was going to tell you, uncle," he said calmly, trying to appease him. He had expected Thorin to react a certain way to the news of him and Arinna courting, but he had not thought that he would just shout at her in front of everyone. "I was waiting for the right moment, but it… well, it just never came. And then Laketown happened and –"

"And you thought you'd just throw all your responsibilities, your heritage – _your honour_– to the wind and court some woman you've picked up off the street?" Thorin hissed, glaring dangerously at his nephew who looked taken aback by his words completely.

Fili's mouth fell open as he stared at his uncle in shock, a deep frown creasing his forehead as he shook his head. "My… my honour? Uncle, how can you say such a thing? She's –"

"She's not just some woman, Thorin," Kili threw in before his brother could finish, unable to witness the scene silently any longer. He was shocked at his uncle's reaction, having expected him to disagree at first perhaps, but not like this. Arinna did not deserve any of this. "It is Arinna. She's one of us."

The druid could only stare at the dwarf-king with wide eyes as he continued his tirade, only sparing her a short glance as he curled his lip mockingly. "She could never be one of us," he snarled, ignoring the shocked looks he received from everyone around him. He turned his gaze back to Fili. "She is a _nobody _from _nowhere _and if you think that she could ever make a fitting match for you – the crown-prince of Erebor, _my heir _– then you are sorely mistaken. She is not worth –"

"_Enough._"

Arinna's quiet voice broke through the crowd, all gazes turning to her as she looked at Thorin with sad eyes. She held his gaze for a moment, shaking her head slightly as she looked into his icy blue eyes, which seemed to hold nothing but contempt for her. She had never seen him look at her like that, even when they had first started out on this journey and she had not yet earned his trust.

"I will not let you say these things about me," she finally said, her voice still quiet but firm as she addressed him. Her heart was heavy in her chest as she looked at him, a crease forming between her eyebrows as she studied his dark features. "You know where I come from and what I have lost. You know the person that I am. But more importantly, I know the person that I am. You, on the other hand, I hardly recognise."

As Thorin remained stoically silent upon her words, Arinna continued quietly. "I love Fili. And whether you approve of it or not is your decision. It will not affect my own. But I will not let you disrespect me like this. After all this time, I do not deserve to be treated as such, and I believe that you know this, Thorin, however unwilling you may be to admit it to yourself right now."

Again, Thorin said nothing, his eyes dark and seeming troubled as he stared at her in silence. She waited for him to react, holding his gaze with determination, though after a few more moments, Thorin simply turned away. The druid watched his retreating form with a confused frown as he stalked through the small crowd, who made way silently, before he disappeared down a dark hallway.

The silence stretched over them for a few more moments as nobody knew what to say after what had just happened. Balin was the first to speak, his voice quiet and sombre as he gave Arinna's arm a small squeeze.

"Well, I believe congratulations are in order," the old dwarf muttered, giving first her and then Fili a small smile. He gave the druid a small nudge. "Come on. Let's get inside."


	29. Dragon sickness

**Chapter 29! Thanks to Xoxo and blasttyrant for your reviews on the last one, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. I hope you enjoy this one****!**

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"Don't mind Thorin, lass," Balin was saying quietly. They were gathered in one of the old rooms, where the company had set up their bedrolls and provisions after their retaking of the mountain. While Thorin had ordered most of them to get back to searching the treasure and Bofur had gone off to spend some time with his brother and cousin, Balin and Bilbo had stayed with the rest of the newly arrived members of the company. "We're all very happy for you two. A little surprised, perhaps. But very happy, indeed."

"Thank you, Balin," Fili muttered, while Arinna just gave the old dwarf a small nod. They were standing together, Fili's hand firmly enveloping her own. He had not left her side since after their arrival, almost as if he was afraid that she would begin to believe his uncle's words if he gave her the chance to consider them. So, he kept himself close to her, trying to reassure her that there was no truth to what Thorin had said.

"I don't understand how he could have said such horrible things. He likes Arinna, I know he does," Fili continued with a shake of his head, frowning as he looked over at the druid, who said nothing in return, merely giving him a small look.

"He's… not himself at the moment," Balin sighed in return, exchanging a meaningful look with Bilbo, who stood beside him. Fili, Kili and Arinna all watched the exchange with matching frowns on their foreheads.

"What do you mean by that?" Fili asked with concern, looking at the old dwarf with a questioning gaze.

"He has been spending all his time in the treasure hall," Bilbo answered in Balin's stead, letting out a deep sigh of his own. "He has had every one of us searching for the Arkenstone day and night. It… it has not been found yet. He's obsessed with it."

Kili shook his head slightly. "So? The stone is the symbol of this mountain, of our people, what does that have to do with his outburst earlier? I know he has a temper but that was –"

"It has nothing to do with his temper, lad," Balin answered, shaking his head with a tired and sad expression as he returned the young dwarf's confused gaze. His next words settled heavily between them. "It is dragon-sickness. I've seen it before, that look, that terrible need. It is a fierce and jealous love for this treasure, for the Arkenstone. It drove his grandfather mad and Thorin… I fear Thorin is headed down the same path. He lashes out, is suspicious of all of us. Arinna was merely a catalyst for his wrath. Even though he used to value her greatly as a member of his company – and we all know that he did, lass – he now sees her as an outsider, someone who would undermine his kingship by courting his heir."

There was a heavy silence in the room as Balin trailed off, and they exchanged a few concerned looks as they took in the meaning of his words.

"Well, what can we do?" Fili finally said, unwilling to accept Balin's words. Thorin wouldn't just suddenly go mad, he thought defiantly. He was the strongest dwarf he knew, surely there was something that could be done to help him. He shot a glance toward the druid beside him, who was looking thoughtful. "Perhaps Arinna could heal him? She's the best healer I've ever seen, surely –"

"I don't know anything about dragon-sickness, Fili," Arinna interrupted him softly, uttering her first words since her earlier confrontation with Thorin. She slightly shook her head as Fili fell silent. "Besides, you saw him. I doubt he would accept any help from me. In fact, if it truly is as bad as Balin suggests, then I doubt that anyone of us can do much to help him. You cannot simply cure such a thing with magic; it is ultimately up to Thorin to defeat it."

Fili took a deep breath, as he returned her gaze, bringing up their entwined hands to his chest. "But you healed me when I had lost my memory," he said, beginning to feel rather helpless. "You healed Kili when he was close to death."

"It is not the same thing to lift a spell or heal someone from poison," the druid sighed, letting her thumb brush across the skin of his hand, trying to make him understand. "The root of this isn't magic and there is no herb to counteract it. A sickness of the mind is beyond my skills, Fili. I'm sorry."

The blond dwarf stared at her for a long moment until she inclined her head, no longer able to stand the disappointed look he gave her. Fili, suddenly realising the amount of pressure he was putting on her, quickly pressed a small kiss to her knuckles, giving her an apologetic look as she glanced back up at him in slight surprise.

"Still, there must be something we can do," Kili uttered, looking from his brother and the druid to Balin and the hobbit.

"Balin," Bilbo suddenly spoke, his voice hesitant as he addressed the old dwarf. All eyes turned to him as he uttered his words quietly. "If Thorin had the Arkenstone… if it was found, do you think it would help?"

As Balin remained silent for a few long moments, his gaze turned away and staring at the stone wall opposite him, Arinna took the time to study the hobbit closely. Somehow, she felt as though there was something off about the way Bilbo had asked his question, though she could not quite put her finger on it. It reminded her of the time after they had lost him in the goblin tunnels – many months ago now – when he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and had not truly been able to explain himself, while he had let something shiny slip into his pocket, or so the druid seemed to recall.

"That stone crowns all," Balin finally muttered, his voice weary as he looked back at Bilbo. "As Kili said, it is the summit of this great wealth, bestowing power upon he who bears it. Would it stay his madness? No, laddie. I fear it would make him worse."

Bilbo was about to say something else in return when the door to the room suddenly opened with a loud bang and they quickly fell silent, turning around to see none other than Thorin marching into the room, followed by the rest of the company. The dwarf-king halted as he saw them all sat in a group, clearly noticing that they had fallen silent upon his arrival. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"What is this?" he asked gruffly, his gaze darkening even further as his eyes fell on Fili's and Arinna's entwined hands. "I thought I had made myself clear."

"Uncle, please –" Fili started, not wanting to start another fight with Thorin but at the same time unwilling to let go of Arinna's hand. He would not let himself be forbidden from being with her, not even if it meant another argument. Not even if it meant a thousand more of them.

"I expect you to follow your duties," Thorin growled, interrupting his nephew harshly, before his gaze drifted over the rest of them. "I gave orders to continue the search for the Arkenstone, instead I find you here. How dare you disobey my direct order and hide here in your little hole, scheming in secret?"

Arinna could only shake her head at his words. "We are not scheming, Thorin, we –"

"THAT IS ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!"

The druid flinched back at Thorin's sudden shouting, unable to conceal the hurt look on her face. The dwarf-king stared at her for a moment, blinking rapidly, before he turned his gaze away.

An uncomfortable silence settled throughout the room as the dwarves slowly began to settle down for the night, Thorin sitting at the far edge of the room, brooding by himself. It seemed as though no one was particularly keen on keeping him company, and instead they began conversing quietly among themselves, careful not to disturb the dwarf-king. They talked for a while about how Bilbo had snuck into the mountain, how the dragon had awoken and how they had had to go in and rescue the hobbit, which inevitably led to the other part of the group telling them what had happened after the dragon had escaped the mountain.

"Esgaroth lies at the bottom of the lake," Bofur was concluding the story quietly, his voice sombre as he looked at his companions, who were following his words with doleful expressions. "Hundreds of people have lost their homes. They will be streaming into Dale soon, no doubt, on their way here."

"What do you mean by 'on their way here'?"

Thorin's voice rang out heavily over the group, silencing Bofur immediately. He looked up at the dark-haired dwarf, who had risen from his seat to take a few steps closer with every word Bofur had spoken. The hatted dwarf gave a small shrug.

"Well, they will be coming to the mountain, won't they?" he uttered, faltering slightly beneath Thorin's dark glare. "To ask for their share of the treasure in order to –"

"_Their _share?"

Bofur's mouth snapped shut at the dangerous hiss that had accompanied Thorin's words. He looked around rather helplessly. It was Fili who came to his aid, speaking up calmly but seriously as he looked up at his uncle.

"They will need to rebuild their homes," the blond dwarf said with a small frown, earning himself a hard stare. "We promised them – _you _promised them that all will share in the wealth of the mountain!"

"This mountain was hard-won," Thorin growled in return. "I will not see it taken again."

"They do not want to take the mountain, uncle," Kili chimed in, disbelief written all over his face. "The people of Laketown have nothing! They are coming to us in need, they have lost everything."

Thorin gave his younger nephew a small huff. "Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."

"And those who have not lived?" Arinna asked quietly, her iron voice cutting through the heavy silence that had followed Thorin's words. The dwarf-king shot her a withering look as she returned his gaze angrily. "What do they have to be grateful for?"

"I will not part," Thorin hissed lowly, glaring at her. "Not even with a single coin."

"Then you are not the dwarf I thought you were," the druid answered sadly and got up without another word, brushing past Thorin as she left the room, not bothering to look back, while the dwarf-king stared after her angrily.

Fili only hesitated for a second, before he got to his feet as well, though Thorin put a heavy hand on his shoulder as he tried to march past him. "Do not follow her."

The blond dwarf halted in his steps, sending his uncle an enraged look as he shook off his hand. "I would follow her to the end of the world," he growled. "But that is not the point. She is right, Thorin. How can you go back on your word like that, when these people have lost everything? This is not like you. You do not care one bit about them, do you? Nor do you seem to care that it was not only them that were caught in the firestorm that you sent down from the mountain. Would it have mattered to you at all if Kili and I had not made it here alive? Would you have noticed, or would you have just kept digging through this damned treasure day and night?"

"Fili, of course, I would have –" Thorin started, his voice suddenly less gruff as he stared at his nephew. But Fili only sent him a glare of his own in return, before he turned away and stormed off, following after Arinna.

The door slammed shut behind him with a loud bang.

* * *

Arinna's path led her down windy, dark hallways, which she followed without knowing or caring where they would lead her. Her footsteps echoed off the cold stone as she kept walking until she finally came to a large doorway, from which golden, shimmering light fell out onto the dark stone floor outside. Arinna walked through it slowly, her eyes widening at what she saw. An enormous hall was on the other side, large pillars reaching up high toward the ceiling. Arinna could not see how far back this hall reached, she could not see the other end from where she stood. What she could see were mountains upon mountains of treasure, some of them reaching almost all the way up to the ceiling.

Her breath faltered in her throat as she beheld the vast wealth of Erebor. She had never seen such a thing, had never even been able to imagine that such amounts of treasure could exist in one place. She felt wonder and amazement, before the thought came back to her that this was enough wealth for several kingdoms, and she felt anger and disappointment bubble hot in her stomach. Her stomach almost turned in disgust as her gaze wandered over the gold.

She took a few steps further into the treasury then, looking around, not knowing what she was actually meaning to do in here. The druid picked up a gold cup from one of the piles near her, intricately ornated with sparkling gems of different colours. No doubt this cup alone would be worth enough to build a small house for a family. She let out a small growl, before she hurled it away from her with all her might, the cup flying high and landing in another pile of gold further away with a loud clank.

"What are you doing?"

Arinna whirled around, though she calmed quickly when she saw that it was Fili standing in the doorway, watching her calmly. She let out a deep sigh, shaking her head.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I did not mean to come here. I just couldn't stand to be in the same room as Thorin any longer."

Fili inclined his head. "Aye, I understand that. The way he talks to you –"

"It is not just that, Fili," Arinna said, interrupting the dwarf as he took a few steps toward her. "I can handle his hostility. But I cannot stand by and watch him go back on his word to the people of Lake Town. I have seen what they have lost, I have felt their suffering. I told Bard's children that they should come to the mountain when they were ready! That we would help them any way we could. You said yourself that all we can do is to try and make amends by helping them rebuild their lives. And what will they find when they arrive? A dwarven king who hides behind his walls, counting his coin, while they are freezing and starving. We owe them, Fili."

Fili wrapped his arms around her as he reached her, pulling her against his chest. She trailed off, her voice breaking slightly with her last words. He gently put his forehead against hers. "I know," he muttered with a sigh. "But I don't know what we can do. Perhaps… perhaps he will come around, see reason. If we only talk to him."

Arinna shook her head, though said nothing in return. They remained like that for a little while, the blond dwarf's hands softly running up and down her back, until he spoke again quietly.

"I'm certain that he will change his mind," he uttered and the druid wasn't sure whether he was more trying to convince her or himself. Arinna let out a small sigh, pulling back from Fili's touch as she looked from him to the vast piles of treasure that surrounded them.

"There is more treasure here than two kingdoms could spend in a lifetime," she muttered quietly, her gaze wandering over the gold and silver, the sparkling gems, before she looked back at Fili. The dwarf was looking at it, as well, his eyes thoughtful and troubled. "It is more than Thorin could ever need or use. He must know that himself. And yet, he said he would not part with even a single coin."

"It's just the –"

"The sickness talking?" Arinna interrupted softly, finishing Fili's sentence as she gave her beloved a sad look. "Perhaps. But the people of Laketown will come for help soon, a few more days at most and they will be here. Do you really think Thorin will see reason by then?"

Fili dropped his hands, letting out a low breath as he walked a few steps away from her, trying to clear his mind, gather his thoughts. "Well, I refuse to give up on him as easily as you seem to," he answered without looking at her, his voice carrying a certain irritation as he spoke louder than necessary. "He is my uncle and my king. What do you expect me to do?"

The druid remained silent for a few moments as Fili's raised voice echoed through the hall. The irritation in his eyes dissipated slightly as he looked back at her, letting out another deep sigh. "I'm sorry," he said, calmer now as he shook his head. "I don't mean to shout at you, Arinna."

"I know," the druid answered kindly, closing the distance between them once more as she reached out one hand and put it gently on his chest. She inclined her head, thinking for a moment, before she looked back up at him. "I don't expect you to do anything, Fili. How could I, when I don't know what to do myself? But I… I just need you to know how I feel. If my fears should come true… I don't think I could stand for such injustice."

Fili said nothing in return, instead only grabbing her hand from his chest and pressing a short kiss to the back of it. They stood silently, the dwarf's thumb brushing softly over the back of her hand, neither of them knowing what to say.


	30. The gathering of the clouds

**Happy Sunday! I hope you enjoy this new chapter and let me know what you think. Thanks very much to Xoxo, blasttyrant and McKenna079 for your reviews on the last one!**

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It was two days later when Dwalin brought the news from guard duty. They had seen the people, hundreds of them, streaming into Dale the day before, which had caused Thorin to order them to reinforce the makeshift gate with heavy boulders, so that no one could make their way inside – or out. But now, Dwalin had seen a rider approaching from his spot up among the battlements and had come to alert Thorin in the treasure hall, where they had all been searching for the Arkenstone.

Arinna followed, not actually having put much effort into her search, anyway, as the whole company hurried up to the battlements above the gate, gathering together to peer out over the plain. And indeed, the druid could see a distant form approaching on horseback, but there was something else. In the distance, she could see the old ruins of Dale, where the people of Laketown had set up camp, though there were now countless armed and armoured guards stood around the city walls, and not just any guards but Elven ones. The druid frowned at the realisation, while someone else said out loud what she was thinking.

"It seems the Elves have joined with the Lakemen," Dwalin said gruffly and Arinna shortly glanced over, noticing without surprise that Thorin's face had darkened dangerously upon his words. She had spent the past two days avoiding him as best as possible, so as to not give him any further reason to get angry with her.

She suppressed a sigh, focusing her attention back on the approaching rider as he came into sight. Her heart stopped for a moment as she realised who it was, almost unable to believe her eyes.

"Bard!" She called out loudly, unable to hold herself back. She leaned across the stone wall to get a better look, to make sure it was actually him. The Lakeman looked up at her just as Kili, Fili and Bofur had rushed toward the edge upon her call, staring down at the man in disbelief. Arinna couldn't help the happy, relieved laughter that left her upon seeing him alive and, from the looks of it, uninjured. "Bard! We thought you were dead!"

The Lakeman couldn't help the smile that pulled at his own lips at the druid's obvious joy, her companions – the two brothers and Bofur – calling out to him beside her. "I am glad to find you alive, as well," he called up to her. "Beyond hope!"

"The children!" Arinna called. "Are they alright? Did they find you?"

"Aye," Bard replied, nodding in appreciation of her obvious concern. "They are well, thanks to you! As well as can be expected."

Arinna was about to say something else, when she was grabbed roughly by the elbow and pulled back from the battlements' edge, stumbling slightly as she looked up to meet Thorin's furious glare. She swallowed tightly, wincing as his fingers dug painfully into her skin.

"That is enough," the dwarf-king hissed quietly, the dangerous tone of his voice sending a small shiver down the druid's spine. He seemed angrier than she had seen him ever before. "Another word out of you and I will throw you over this wall myself, do you understand me?"

The druid did not dare reply, seeing the serious threat behind the dwarf's glare, and Thorin stared at her for another moment before he let go of her so abruptly that she stumbled again, bumping into Bombur behind her, who put a steadying and comforting hand on her shoulder. She stayed where she was, shortly catching Fili's concerned gaze as she rubbed her arm slightly. Thorin stepped forward now, addressing Bard who had watched the scene with concern from below.

"Hail Thorin, son of Thrain," Bard called then, watching the dark-haired dwarf thoughtfully.

"Why do you come to the gates of the King under the Mountain armed for war?" Thorin replied, motioning with his right hand toward the Elven guards that were gathered around Dale.

"Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in like a robber in his hole?" came Bard's retort, which only fuelled Thorin's anger further.

"Perhaps it is because I'm expecting to be robbed," he growled and Bard inclined his head in return.

The Lakeman shook his head, taking on a more friendly tone as he called back up to the dwarf. "My Lord, we have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?"

"I am listening," Thorin replied darkly, leaning against the battlement with one arm as he looked down at the man before his gate. The horse beneath Bard's saddle whinnied quietly. "If you wish to speak, do it now."

"On behalf of the people of Lake Town, I ask that you honour your pledge. A share of the treasure, so that they might rebuild their lives," Bard stated firmly, though Thorin only shook his head in return.

Again, he motioned toward Dale. "You have joined together with my enemies," he said. "I will not treat with any man while an armed host lies before my door."

"King Thranduil has come to offer us his help," Bard explained. "He brought us food and clean water and other much needed provisions."

"No doubt out of the sheer goodness of his heart," was all Thorin said in return, his tone mocking and irritated. "It is a threat. But your threats do not sway me."

Bard shook his head in frustration, looking up at the dark-haired dwarf. He had not gotten to know the dwarf very well and had never really liked him but to refuse to help like this seemed unexpectedly cruel. "What of your conscience? Does it not tell you that our cause is just? My people offered you help and in return you brought upon them only ruin and death!"

Now Thorin let out a gruff laugh. "When did the men of Laketown come to our aid but for the promise of rich reward?"

"A bargain was struck!"

"A bargain?" Thorin growled, sending the Lakeman a lingering, dark gaze. His voice rang out loudly over the wall. "What choice did we have but to barter our birth right for blankets and food. To ransom our future in exchange for our freedom. You call that a fair trade? Tell me, Bard the dragon-slayer, why should I honour such terms?"

"Because you gave us your word," Bard answered plainly in a calm, disappointed voice, knowing now that reasoning with Thorin was impossible. The Elven king had warned him. "Does that mean nothing?"

The dwarf-king's jaw twitched slightly as he pressed his teeth together, staring down at the Lakeman for another moment, before he turned away without another word, walking back into the mountain and leaving Bard to stare up at the spot he had just vacated. The rest of the company stood aimlessly for a little while, some of them peering down at Bard, who shook his head, before he turned his horse around and rode back the way he had come to Dale. The dwarves murmured quietly among themselves as they eventually slowly followed after Thorin, finding the dwarf-king standing in the middle of the entrance hall downstairs.

"What are you doing?" Bilbo asked, the first one to find the courage to address the dark-haired dwarf directly after what had just transpired. "Are you going to risk a war?"

"This does not concern you, Master Baggins," Thorin said lowly, only shooting the hobbit a small glance.

"Excuse me," Bilbo said indignantly, unwilling to just let Thorin get away with this. "But just in case you haven't noticed, there is an army of Elves out there. Not to mention several hundred angry fishermen. We… we are in fact outnumbered, Thorin."

Now Thorin turned toward the hobbit with a strange smile on his face, his blue eyes glowing maniacally in the dimly lit hall. "Not for much longer," he said, elaborating when Bilbo just shot him a bewildered look. "You should never underestimate dwarves, Master Baggins. I sent word to my cousin as soon as these greedy little Lakemen set up camp in Dale. We have reclaimed Erebor, now we defend it."

"How can you do this?" Another voice chimed up when Bilbo could only stare at him speechless, and Thorin looked over to where Arinna was standing at the back of the company, addressing him quietly. She seemed tired, her voice only a low murmur as she stared at the dwarf-king in quiet disappointment. "You made a promise to the people of Laketown. Is this treasure truly worth more than your honour? Our honour, Thorin. I was also there; I gave my word. Bilbo gave his word. So did Fili."

"For that, I'm grateful," Thorin answered her slowly, speaking as though he was indulging an insolent child. "It was nobly done. But the treasure in this mountain does not belong to the people of Laketown. This gold is ours, and ours alone."

"You mean yours," the druid muttered, causing a spark of anger to flare in his eyes. He ground his teeth together, sneering at her.

"I mean ours."

"Then give them my share."

Thorin's eyes narrowed upon her unexpected words, as though he had never heard a more ridiculous suggestion. "I will give them nothing," he answered darkly. "And if you would throw it away like that, perhaps you don't deserve it at all."

The druid dropped her head as Thorin turned away, not knowing what else to say. It was clear by now that he would not listen to reason, that he would rather go to war than let go of even one gold coin. Arinna did not feel as though she had the strength to fight with him any longer, and so she said nothing, and in fact, she stayed quiet for the rest of the day, not even replying to Fili when he tried to speak with her quietly.

* * *

It was the next evening and the mood among the company had not improved. They had heard nothing more from the Lakemen since the day before, and though it did not seem to concern Thorin, it was worrying the others.

Fili, though thinking about the possible next developments as well, found his mind mainly occupied by something else, however. Arinna had not said a word to him, or anyone, since the previous morning, after her last attempt to talk to Thorin. He had tried engaging her in conversation the day before, to get her mind off things, but to no avail. She was withdrawn and sad, lifeless, as though this situation was draining her of all her energy. And Fili understood, though it seemed to affect her much more than him. He still hoped that his uncle would come around eventually, that he would realise that going to war over this treasure was insane, but he could see that Arinna no longer thought so.

Still, he made his way over to her now, crouching down in front of her in the dark corner that she had secluded herself to. The druid looked up at him shortly, before she let her gaze drop back to the ground. Fili looked at her in silent concern, before he cleared his throat slightly, arranging his face into a smile.

"Get up," he told her quietly, smiling warmly at her as she looked back up at him in slight confusion. "I want to show you something."

He watched her as she shook her head slightly, but he was not about to give up. He held out his hand expectantly, giving her a pointed look. "You can take my hand and come with me willingly, or I can pick you up and throw you over my shoulder. It's up to you, my love."

Arinna's eyebrows rose slightly upon his words and she hesitated for another long moment before she finally put her hand in his with a sigh and let him pull her to her feet. She followed slowly as Fili led her out of the room, not paying attention to the few glances they drew from the others on their way out.

Fili walked ahead, the druid's hand held securely in his, as he led her down one dark hallway after another. She followed silently as they walked down a set of steep stairs, followed by several more, down into the cavernous halls of the mountain. Dim light was falling from torches that hung from the walls, and Arinna realised that someone must have been down here before and lit them, the fire casting long shadows on the walls.

A strange sulphurous smell hung in the air, intensifying the further they went. The druid put it down to the dragon having dwelled in these halls for so many decades. Her gaze was caught by narrow strands of gold and silver running along the stone to both sides of them, and she couldn't help but marvel at the beauty that must once have filled these halls.

"Here," Fili said after a little while, coming to a halt in front of a large opening, carved directly into the stone wall. It was a gateway that had once held two doors, of which only one remained. She shot him a short, doubtful look as he motioned for her to go ahead, only moving forward once he gave her a reassuring smile.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she stepped inside a great cavern, filled with dim torchlight. The strands of gold that ran along the walls continued in here, going up all the way to the ceiling of the hall. The strange smell was stronger here and filled the room, and the druid took a few steps forward, amazement filling her as she beheld three large pools of water before her, soft steam rising from their surfaces.

"What is this place?" She asked quietly, the first words she'd spoken out loud since yesterday, her soft voice echoing off the walls as she looked up at Fili who had stepped up beside her.

"Natural hot springs," he answered with another smile, glad to hear her voice again as he looked at the water before them as well. The torchlight reflected on the smooth surface. Arinna gave a short nod, now knowing the cause for the sulphur scent that hung in the air. "Balin told me about them. I thought perhaps you would like it, so I came down to see if they were still intact."

Arinna let out a sigh as Fili turned his gaze toward her, a gentle look on his youthful face, though his eyes betrayed another feeling. The druid couldn't quite decipher it as he spoke. "It's just something to take your mind off things… I know you've been troubled these past few days. You've been so quiet. So, I was hoping that a relaxing, warm bath might help ease your mind, if only for a while."

"You are quite something, Fili, you know that?" the druid breathed, averting her eyes from his as she shook her head slightly. She couldn't help but smile at his thoughtfulness, not having expected this at all. She wasn't sure it would be enough to distract her from the thoughts that had been circling in her mind for the past two days, but she couldn't bring herself to turn Fili's offer down after the trouble he had gone to. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had a warm bath? I don't think I even remember at this point."

The blond dwarf chuckled quietly and tilted his head at her words. "I could say the same," he admitted, before he cleared his throat. "Go on, then. It's perfectly safe. Take your time. I will stand by the door to make sure you're not disturbed."

He gave her a short nod and turned away from her before she could say anything, moving back toward the doorway with swift strides. Fili leaned his shoulder against it, his back turned on the dark-haired woman, though his ears perked up slightly after a few moments when he heard the soft rustle of her clothes falling to the stone floor behind him. He swallowed tightly, trying to ignore his wandering mind as he stared at the torch that sat opposite him on the wall. He heard the water splash softly as Arinna slowly got in the water, followed by a quiet sigh. He smiled at the content sound, glad that he had been able to do this for her. Fili listened for a while as the water rippled quietly behind him, his arms crossed firmly in front of his chest.

"Are you not coming in?"

The dwarf felt his heart skip a beat at the unexpected question, though he shook his head quickly, answering the druid without looking back at her. He kept his gaze firmly on the torch before him, blinking against the flickering light. "That would hardly be appropriate," he said, trying to sound light-hearted. "I shall keep watch. Make sure no one's coming."

"You said you couldn't remember your last proper bath either," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. He cleared his throat.

"Then it won't matter if I keep dry a little longer."

There was a short silence, in which Fili let out heavy breath. Of course, he was tempted. More than that. There was nothing better he could imagine right now than to be in that bath with her. He could hear the water splash behind him again, and he almost turned his head at the sound, catching himself in time.

"Fili," Arinna called over to him, her voice soft now. He shook his head to himself. "Fili, look at me."

He inclined his head, unable to keep himself from obeying her words and the gentle command they held. He slowly turned around, his eyes trained on the floor as he did, before they moved upwards, finding Arinna submerged to her shoulders in the dark water and looking at him with a soft smile on her lips. The only thing she was still wearing was the silver chain around her neck, the leaf at its end hidden somewhere beneath the water's surface. Fili felt a hard pull in his belly at the sight of her, and he was suddenly unable to look away.

"Please, join me."

She didn't say anything else and only watched as he fought with himself for a few moments, unsure if joining her would be a good idea. And though he was almost certain that it wasn't, his hands suddenly moved of their own accord, working open his clasps and laces, pulling off his layers until he stood only in his breeches.

"Do you mind?" He asked, suddenly feeling rather hot in the face as she had watched him undress so far. He frowned slightly at the amused grin that played on the druid's face, though she inclined her head as she gracefully turned her back to him in the water. Fili cleared his throat, letting out another deep breath before he got rid of the rest of his clothing and quickly moved to join her in the pool. He couldn't help a sigh of his own as his skin came into contact with the warm water, and he relaxed quickly as it enveloped his body.

His gaze fell on Arinna's back then, the druid no doubt waiting for him to tell her when she could turn back around, and he watched slow droplets of water make their way down the skin of her shoulders. His gaze lingered on the large pink scar that adorned her left shoulder, remembering how she had acquired it just before Rivendell. He had been so afraid of losing her at the time, he wondered for a moment whether he had already been in love with her then without even knowing it. Her hair was partly submerged, the dark strands floating softly in the water, while some stuck to her wet skin. Fili felt the familiar pull in his stomach again, and once more, before he could think better of it, his body and his hands were moving of their own will.

Arinna jumped slightly when she suddenly felt two large hands on her shoulders and she moved with their pull, turning around to face Fili once more. She had expected him to tell her when he was ready for her to turn around, having heard him enter the water, though she didn't mind him being this close. Her eyes were trained on his, feeling her breath falter slightly as she was caught in the intensity of his gaze. The druid's eyes fell from the dwarf's pale blue irises then, and travelled down his face, to his neck, to the broad chest that was partly covered by the water. She moved her hand from below the surface and laid it over his heart, feeling the light hair that covered Fili's chest beneath her palm. She took a deep breath, feeling her worrying mind calm at the feeling of the steady beat of his heart beneath her touch.

Arinna was caught up in her own thoughts, none of them truly clear in her mind as her hand drifted upwards slowly, trailing drops of water in its wake as it found its way to the dwarf's face. Her fingers softly traced along the thin scar on his face, over his temple, a memory of Goblin Town.

"Remember that fight we had after Goblin Town?" she uttered quietly, her voice but a low murmur as she remembered the moment on the riverbank many months ago. She felt a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips, looking up into Fili's blue eyes. He just gave a small nod, one of his own hands coming up to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"How could I forget?" he answered, his voice rumbling through his chest. "You threw a wet cloth at me."

Her small snort echoed over the quiet pool of water. She sent him a pointed look. "You were getting on my nerves," she said plainly, before her gaze grew softer, her smile almost shy. Fili watched her calmly. "I think it was at that moment that I realised that I could not bear the thought of losing you. And that's why I hated watching you throw yourself into harm's way."

The dwarf let out a soft hum, bringing his hand to her cheek and down to her jaw, letting his thumb brush gently against the line of her jaw. "I felt similarly," he smiled, the sight of it sending a small flutter through the druid's chest. "I can hardly believe that it took me so long to realise how much I love you."

Arinna smiled softly, gazing up at him as he brought both his hands to her face, his thumbs stroking across her cheekbones, before he leaned in to place a tender but passionate kiss on her lips.

She felt her whole body react as she returned his kiss eagerly, his hands moving from her face to her shoulders, and along her arms down into the water, finding her sides and pulling her into him. The water rippled around them as their kiss grew more intimate, and Arinna sighed as she felt his tongue brush against hers, one of her hands slung around his neck while the other was in his hair, keeping him as close as possible.

"Fili," she breathed as one of his hands splayed on her back, pulling her flush against him as he moaned into their kiss. She felt his hard stomach and chest press against her own, muscles rippling beneath his skin, and she felt a heat rise within her body that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water. Fili let out a deep groan when she pulled his head back, her lips trailing hot kisses down his neck and over his throat.

He was breathing heavily, his hands keeping her in place against his body as he looked down at her with hooded eyes. "Perhaps we should not do this," he uttered half-heartedly, the movement of his hand running down her spine betraying his words while he spoke them. He relished in the way her back arched at his touch.

"Do you regret putting your braid in my hair?" Arinna returned quietly, studying his face as he looked at her in slight surprise. He could tell that she was referring to the anger it had sparked in his uncle. He shook his head, his eyes earnest as he returned her gaze.

"No," he said simply as he raised one hand to the end of the braid behind her ear, tenderly letting it slide through his fingers. "Never."

The blue of his eyes grew slightly darker when the druid slung both arms around his neck in reply, pulling herself up against him and wrapping her legs around his waist. He wrapped both arms around her automatically and she kissed him again, softly but with a determination that made Fili sigh against her plump lips.

"Neither do I," she muttered, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. One of her hands brushed softly against his cheekbone and Fili inclined his head toward her touch, returning her gaze. "Tomorrow may be uncertain. But right now, tonight, there is you and me, and there is love, and that is what I know to be certain. That is all I need to know. I want to be yours, Fili, and for you to be mine. For tonight, for tomorrow…"

Fili leaned his forehead against hers gently, shortly closing his eyes as he let her words sink in before he looked up at her again, this time not hesitating to press his lips to hers in a fervent kiss.

"For always," he breathed against her as his hands roamed over her skin and he moved through the water to the edge of the basin, a moan falling from her lips as he pressed her up against the stone. Their kisses grew more ardent with their passion, their bodies moving together as one, their breath mingling together in the hot steam that rose from the water around them.

They stayed there for many hours and long into the night, and while the others slept in a faraway room, nobody of the company noticed the small hobbit sneaking out in the dark hours of the night, climbing down from the battlements on his own with the Arkenstone weighing heavy in his pocket.


	31. Thieves and traitors

**Happy Weekend! Thank you very much for your reviews on the last chapter to Xoxo (also, you did call it) and Faron Oakenshield! I hope you all enjoy this one, let me know your thoughts.**

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Arinna and Fili only returned to the others in the early hours of the morning, when everybody was still asleep.

"Wait," Fili muttered, when they had almost reached the hall, pulling the druid back by her hand and making her stumble slightly into his chest. He smiled down at her as she sent him a questioning, yet slightly amused look. He pulled her into a kiss then, one arm wrapping around her waist as the other buried itself in her hair. She practically melted against him, sighing against his lips as her arms wound around his neck. His kiss left the druid slightly breathless as he pulled back and she put both hands on his broad chest to steady herself.

"Alright," he grinned, squeezing her middle slightly, and Arinna smacked his chest when he gave her a small wink. "I'm ready to go back now."

"You're impossible," she answered, suppressing a chuckle as he merely shrugged, grabbing her hand once more as he moved ahead. They entered the hall as quietly as they could, their hands still entwined as they made their way through the sleeping forms of their companions.

Even though she was tired, the druid felt lighter than she had the day before, a small smile playing on her lips. She let go of Fili's hand, who looked at her in question, though he gave her an understanding nod when she told him quietly that she wanted to go up onto the battlements for a few moments to catch some fresh air. She moved into him for a moment, bringing both hands up to cup his cheeks as she pressed a small, loving kiss to his lips and another to his bearded cheek before she turned and left him to his devices, quickly making her way to the entrance hall and up the stairs. Fili watched her go until she disappeared from his sight, a happy smile playing on his lips.

A small breeze was coming down the staircase and Arinna took a deep breath, letting the cold autumn air fill her lungs as she stepped outside. It was there that she noticed Bombur sat against the edge of the wall by the doorway, fast asleep. She couldn't help a small chuckle, knowing that the red-haired dwarf had been on last watch during the night. It was only when she looked up, rubbing her arms slightly against the cold, that she saw another figure standing a bit further away.

"Bilbo?" Arinna asked in surprise, visibly startling the hobbit. He jumped and turned around to her, his eyes wide, though he seemed to calm slightly when he realised that it was her. She frowned at the nervous look on his face. "Is everything alright? What are you doing out here?"

Bilbo's gaze darted from her to the distant city of Dale, then back to her. Arinna took a few slow steps toward him before he finally spoke, his voice quiet and agitated. "I might have done something stupid," he said to her, meeting her eyes for a second before he looked away again. Arinna's frown deepened, worry beginning to fill her at her friend's odd behaviour. The hobbit shook his head to himself. "But what was I supposed to do?"

"What have you done, Bilbo?" the druid asked in confusion, jumping in surprise when a loud horn suddenly sounded from below, and she looked up to see several riders making their way to the mountain, no doubt hailing from the camp in Dale.

As they approached, she looked back at the hobbit, who returned her gaze with an almost sad one of his own, letting out a small sigh. "You mustn't hold it against me," he said quietly.

Arinna looked at her friend with another confused frown, not understanding what he meant. But she had no time to ask him, as Bombur had jerked awake at the sound of the horn and jumped to his feet, sounding his own horn and alerting the others to the approaching riders.

It wasn't long before everyone had gathered on the wall, peering through the battlements as the riders arrived before the gate. It was Bard again, though with him were several others, as well. Arinna could see a tall blond Elf with a silver crown riding alongside him, coming to the conclusion that this must be King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm. Several Elves and Lakemen were gathered on horses behind the two, while another figure was next to them. This person was wearing a hood that was pulled down low over their face, hiding it from view. Arinna frowned slightly as she peered down at the stranger, her eyes focusing on the wooden staff that was attached to the person's back.

Meanwhile, Thorin, who was stood at the front of them, motioned for Kili to shoot a warning arrow. The brunet dwarf hesitated only for a second before he did as he was told, using a bow and arrows that he had found in the treasury the day before to aim an arrow between the hooves of King Thranduil's horse. The animal neighed agitatedly and bucked slightly, though it calmed quickly again as the Elf muttered something under his breath to it.

"The next one will be between your eyes!" Thorin called out darkly, eyeing them suspiciously.

The Elf seemed entirely unimpressed by the threat. Thranduil merely smiled and it was him who addressed Thorin now, instead of Bard. "We have come to tell you payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."

"What payment?" Thorin growled in response. "I gave you nothing. You have nothing."

This time it was Bard who answered, reaching into the inside of his coat and pulling out something round and shiny. Arinna leaned forward slightly to get a better view, seeing that the Lakeman was holding a beautiful large gem in his hand, a white jewel in which the light of the sun reflected, letting an iridescent glow shine from it. The druid didn't need Kili's next words to know what it was, and at once she understood what Bilbo had been trying to talk about before.

"They have the Arkenstone!" Kili cried out in shock. "Thieves! How came you by the heirloom of our house?!"

"The King may have it, with our good will," Bard replied sternly, only shooting Kili a small glance before he returned his gaze to Thorin. The dwarf-king's face was pale with shock, his dark brows furrowed deeply above his eyes, which were still watching them suspiciously. "But first he must honour his word!"

With a growl, Thorin turned away from the battlements, shaking his head with a mad but somewhat uncertain smile. He couldn't believe what was happening. "They're taking us for fools," he hissed to his companions, who were watching him cautiously, not knowing what to say in return. "This is a ruse, and a filthy lie. The Arkenstone is in this mountain, I know it. It is a trick!"

"It's no trick."

Arinna's gaze dropped to the ground in defeat, her stomach twisting with dread, as Bilbo spoke up and Thorin's dark eyes turned to him at once. The hobbit drew his mouth askew, holding the dwarf-king's gaze as he went on, his voice quiet and serious. "The stone is real. I gave it to them."

"You?" Thorin's voice was incredulous, a sharp pang of betrayal swinging with it as he turned to face the hobbit fully. "You would steal from me?"

"Steal from you? No, no," Bilbo uttered, shaking his head quickly. "I may be a burglar, but I like to think that I'm an honest one. I took it as my fifteenth share of the treasure and I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."

Thorin's face darkened at his words, his eyes growing cold as he stared at the small hobbit before him. He took a few slow steps toward him and Bilbo took one step backwards, taken aback by Thorin's menacing stance. "Against your claim? Your _claim_? You have no claim over me, YOU MISERABLE RAT!"

"You are changed, Thorin," the hobbit tried to reason, though the dwarf's gaze only grew more dangerous as he spoke. "The dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word, would never have doubted the loyalty of his own kin."

"Do not speak to me of loyalty!" Thorin hissed, grabbing Bilbo by his collar and pushing him backwards roughly, so that his back hit the battlement. The hobbit cried out slightly, steadying himself against the cold stone, his eyes widening in horror at Thorin's next words. "Throw him from the rampart!"

Nobody moved, as shocked by the words as Bilbo was. Arinna watched with wide eyes as Thorin looked around the group wildly, a mad glint sparking in his eyes, when still nobody reacted.

"Did you not hear me?!" He shouted at them, growing angrier still when nobody answered, before he turned to the hobbit once more. "I will do it myself!"

"NO!"

Several of them had cried out at once as Thorin had rushed toward Bilbo. Fili and Kili reached out and grabbed their uncle by his coat, holding him back from putting his hands on the hobbit. Thorin struggled against them, so fuelled by his rage that he shook them off, only to be held back again by Bofur and Dwalin. Meanwhile, Arinna had quickly positioned herself in front of Bilbo, trying to shield him from the dwarf-king's grasp.

"I curse you!" Thorin yelled at the hobbit, his face red with fury. "And cursed be the wizard that forced you on this company! May his beard wither!"

It was then that another familiar voice suddenly rang out over them but not from atop the wall but from down below. Thorin halted in slight surprise and they all looked around to see that the hooded figure had finally revealed their face.

"If you don't like my burglar, then please don't damage him!" Gandalf was saying loudly, staring up at them out of tired, disappointed eyes. The dwarves could barely believe their eyes as they stared down at him. "Return him to me."

Thorin glared at the wizard for a long moment, before his gaze finally fell back on Bilbo, who was staring at him out of wide, fearful eyes. The dwarf-king shook off the hands that were holding him back with a growl, his jaw clenching.

"Take him," he yelled down to the wizard then. "If you wish for him to live. No friendship of mine goes with him."

"Get down to your friends now," he then said directly to Bilbo, his voice dangerously low and his eyes sparking with fury. "Or I will make good on my word and _throw _you."

Bilbo inclined his head, a sad expression on his face as he gave a slow nod. There was nothing more he could say or do to try and convince Thorin that he had acted out of a wish to help and nothing else. The dwarf-king would not understand it. The hobbit took a string of rope that Bofur held out to him, the hatted dwarf looking at him out of doleful brown eyes. There was a heavy silence hanging over them as Bilbo tied the rope around one the battlements, before he let it fall over the edge. It was then that he felt a sudden hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. He turned his head to see Arinna standing beside him, giving him a determined look.

"I will come with you," she said quietly, causing the hobbit's eyes to widen in utter surprise.

Though the offer touched him and gave him some comfort, he was quick to shake his head at her. "N-no, Arinna, you – you must stay here. You've done nothing wrong."

"I won't let you go alone," the druid answered with a sad kind of determination, though she was interrupted by another voice and turned around to find Fili pushing his way through the dwarves, coming to a halt in front of her. He was looking at her with wide eyes, shaking his head in incomprehension.

"What are you doing?" He asked her quietly, though everyone could hear them as there was otherwise a heavy silence hanging over the platform. His voice was filled with worry and fear as he stared at her. "Arinna, you cannot mean it."

The druid let out a deep sigh as he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly as he held her gaze. Arinna returned the gesture, taking a step toward him as she addressed him in a quiet murmur, feeling the heavy gazes of their companions resting on them.

"Fili, I cannot stay here," she said softly, although the words pained her, bringing her free hand up to his cheek. She brushed her thumb gently over his cheekbone as he shook his head. She could hardly bear the thought of leaving him like this, but there was no choice now. Not for her. "I cannot stay, not like this. This is madness. I… I told you how I felt. If your uncle will not see reason, then I cannot stay here and be under his command any longer."

The blond dwarf shook his head again, unable to digest her words, his pale blue eyes searching her face. She could not mean it, he thought. Even though he remembered well what she had told him in the treasure hall only a few days ago, and even though he could see that she had made her choice already, he could not believe that she would choose to go with Bilbo and leave him behind. Just last night they had vowed to be with each other forever.

"What about us?" He uttered, his voice raspy as he talked. "You would leave me? For what?"

"It has nothing to do with you, Fili," Arinna answered, close to tears herself now. She closed her eyes for a moment, before she looked back up into his, almost feeling her resistance crumble at the way he was looking at her. "I love you and I wish to be with you. Nothing can ever change that. I know in my heart that we will be together again, Fili. But I can't in good conscience stay in these halls and I… I understand that you cannot leave with me."

Fili pulled at her hand, making her stumble another step toward him. He brought his hands up to her face as she bumped into his chest, uncaring of the others who saw, of his uncle's gaze boring into his back. He wanted nothing more than to leave with her at that moment, if she could not stay, but he knew that he could not. She was right. He could not bring himself to leave Thorin, even as hope for the dwarf-king's recovery was beginning to leave him.

"What must I do?" He breathed, letting his forehead drop against hers. The druid closed her eyes. "Please, Arinna. Tell me. Stay with me, I beg of you."

The druid was about to say something, reopening her eyes, when Thorin's voice rang over them, his tone cold and harsh as he spoke.

"Let her go," he said, his words cutting across them like a knife and causing the two of them to break apart slightly, though Fili kept his hands still on her cheeks. Thorin motioned for Dwalin to pull his nephew away, letting out a disappointed and angry huff when the burly dwarf did not comply. He reached out himself then, grabbing Fili roughly by the shoulder and jerked him backwards, the blond dwarf's hands falling from Arinna's face.

"No!" Fili cried out, quickly grabbing her hand as he struggled against his uncle's hold. He watched as Arinna inclined her head, shortly pulling his hand to her face to press a kiss to the back of it before she let go.

"It's best for all of us if this traitorous snake disappears with her despicable little burglar-friend," Thorin growled, keeping a steady hold of Fili now as he glared at the hobbit and the druid. "They are unworthy of our trust! Be off!"

The druid sighed deeply as she glanced at Thorin, dropping her head in defeat, before she finally nodded for the hobbit to go ahead. Bilbo sent her a last uncertain look before he began to climb down the rope and Arinna turned her head again toward Fili as she moved to follow after him.

"I'm sorry. I love you," she told him sadly, feeling her heart weighing heavy in her chest, her voice breaking slightly as she saw him shake his head at her desperately. She dropped her gaze then and quickly climbed atop the battlement and down the other side, feeling her friends' gazes rest heavily on her as she climbed down to the ground.

"Arinna!"

A few tears escaped her as she heard Fili's voice ring out after her and she wiped them from her eyes when she reached the ground. She grabbed Bilbo's shoulder once more as they slowly made their way over to where the riders were still standing, observing the scene with mixed feelings. Arinna looked up at Gandalf as they came to a halt by his side, the old wizard gazing down at them out of kind eyes.

"You've always had a knack for appearing where you're most needed and least expected," the druid muttered tearily, trying to give him a small smile and failing.

"I am glad to see you both in one piece," Gandalf said quietly in return, looking from the hobbit to the druid, giving them both a small nod, before he looked back up to the wall above the gate. Arinna and Bilbo followed his gaze, seeing the company looking down at them. She took a shaky breath as she met Fili's gaze from afar, seeing him standing at the front with a conflicted look on his face, and the druid felt Bilbo put a comforting hand on her shoulder, while Gandalf called up to Thorin once more.

"You are not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you, Thorin, son of Thrain?" Disappointment rang clear in the wizard's voice.

"Begone!" Thorin shouted in return. "Never again shall I have dealings with wizards!"

"Are we resolved then?" Bard called after a moment's hesitation, waving again the shimmering jewel in his hand. "The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised. Give us your answer."

"Aye," Thorin growled, though he was not actually planning on giving them anything. Only a day or two more and Dain would arrive with his army from the Iron Hills, which had been discussed in the letters that their ravens had carried back and forth in the past two days. He would take back the Arkenstone by force, if need be. "The Shire-rat's share for what is mine. You have the hobbit; the gold and silver will follow as can be arranged."

Bard gave a short nod, slightly surprised but nonetheless relieved. He carefully put the jewel back into his pocket. "Until then we will keep the stone!"


	32. Council

**Happy Sunday! I was on holiday, hence the delay in posting, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thanks very much to McKenna079, blasttyrant, Guest, Erikawaskiki and FizzWizz2011 for your reviews on the last one. Do let me know what you think of this one!**

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Arinna was sat in a corner of the tent that she and Bilbo had been led to after the events of the day. The Lakemen and Elves had expanded their camp from Dale and had built up tents along the River Running for the Elven soldiers and the Lakemen that were healthy and capable enough to fight, if the need arose. The city of Dale was now mainly used to shelter the women and children.

She had been sitting in the same spot for a while now, thinking about whether she had made the right choice. It had broken her heart to leave the mountain, to leave Fili and her friends behind. But what should she have done? She loved Fili, but she knew that he could not have come with her. As he had said that day in the treasury, Thorin was his uncle and his king, his sense of duty and loyalty to him was too strong to dismiss that so easily. Arinna understood that, but she could not ignore her own sense of duty that she felt toward the people of Laketown, her own conscience that told her staying under Thorin's command when he was blinded by his greed, by the effects of the dragon-sickness, was wrong. And yet, she couldn't help but think about the blond dwarf, missing him already. She could only hope that he would find a way to make Thorin see reason and that they would be reunited soon.

"There you are," someone spoke from the tent's entrance and the druid lifted her head slightly to find Gandalf ducking under it. The wizard gave her a warm look. "I have something to discuss with King Thranduil and Bard. They are gathered with Bilbo in council. I would like you to be there, as well."

"I don't know what good my council would do, Gandalf," the druid spoke softly, her voice tired as she looked up at the tall wizard before her.

Gandalf simply watched her for a moment, before he took a few steps toward her. He came to a halt in front of her, leaning on his staff as he spoke kindly. "You are a wise woman, my dear," he said, giving her a knowing look. Arinna frowned slightly, prompting him to go on. "Bilbo told me about yourself and young Fili. Your choice was very difficult, yet I believe it was the right one to make. And though your heart is heavy right now, it may well be your voice that could sway the path of destiny. Or at least the path of the dwarves."

"It is a matter of urgency, Arinna," Gandalf added when the druid said nothing, unsure of how to respond. Finally, she just gave a small nod and stood, following the wizard as he led the way. They walked along several tents until they came to one bigger than the rest of them. They entered swiftly and Arinna looked up to see Bard, Thranduil and Bilbo already gathered around a table on which a map was splayed out.

Bard gave the druid a kind smile as she came to a halt beside Gandalf, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked around, unsure of what to make of the situation. She caught Bilbo's gaze across the room, finding him looking equally as uncertain as she was.

"You took your time," Thranduil uttered, bent over the map, his voice cool. Rising slowly, he gave the wizard a pointed look. "Tell us why you have called us here, Mithrandir, I do have other matters to attend to."

"None as important as what I am about to tell you," Gandalf replied with a slight huff. "I have come with word of Dol Guldur. Armies of Orcs are on the move. I saw them with my own eyes, rank upon rank of Moria Orcs. You must set aside your petty grievances with the dwarves, at least for now. There is a much bigger threat on the horizon."

A heavy silence hung over them at Gandalf's unexpected words, and while Bilbo and Arinna exchanged a worried look, Bard and Thranduil were staring at the wizard before them with sceptical looks on their faces.

"Why tell us this now?" Bard asked with a frown. "You have been here this whole time. Why not tell us before we went to bargain with the dwarves?"

Gandalf let out a small sigh. "I had hoped that Thorin might still be reasoned with," he answered. "But he seems beyond reach."

"He agreed to trade for the Arkenstone," Bard reminded the wizard, not quite knowing what Gandalf was trying to say. As far as he was concerned, their issue had been resolved that morning.

"But he won't," Arinna finally said, causing all eyes to fall on her as she let out a deep sigh. It had been a rumbling worry in her stomach, though it had grown throughout the day, as she had thought about Thorin's agreement. She exchanged another small look with Bilbo. "He sent word to his kin in the Iron Hills the day you arrived in Dale. He is blinded by the dragon-sickness, I doubt he has any intention of giving up even a small part of that treasure without a fight."

"We must try and make peace with them," Gandalf reiterated, nodding at Arinna's words. "It is our only hope. An army of Elves, Men and Dwarves may stand a chance against the approaching enemy."

"What are you talking about?" Bard asked, confusion written clearly across his face as he tried to make sense of it all. Thranduil gave him a short look.

"I see you know nothing of wizards," he uttered in a lightly amused tone, looking over at Gandalf. "They are like winter thunder on a wild wind, rolling in from a distance breaking hard in alarm. But sometimes, a storm is just a storm."

The wizard let out a frustrated sigh. "Not this time," he said, though the Elf was quick to interrupt him, his voice smooth and calm as he spoke.

"These Orc armies you speak of, Mithrandir, where are they?" he asked, waving his hand slightly, as his gaze wandered from the wizard to Arinna and Bilbo. "Don't mistake me. Long will I tarry before I begin this war for gold. But I think you are merely trying to save your Dwarvish friends. And I admire your loyalty to them, but it will not dissuade me from my cause. There are gems in that mountain that I, too, desire. The white gems of Lasgalen. The heirlooms of my people are not lightly forsaken."

"This is absurd," Arinna uttered in reply, sending the Elf before her a hard look. Thranduil's eyebrows rose slightly in response to her words and he turned toward her with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Is it?" he asked calmly. "You are wearing a dwarvish braid in your hair, are you not?"

Arinna frowned at the Elven king, her fingers unconsciously coming up to brush against the end of Fili's braid. "Yes," she replied. "What of it?"

"Would that not suggest that you seek to help them keep their treasure, seeing as you are courting one of them?"

The druid shook her head, anger bubbling in her stomach at the Elf's words. Thranduil watched her silently, his blue eyes taking in her hard features as she addressed him. "It is true that I am loyal to the dwarves," she said plainly, trying to keep her voice calm. "But that does not mean that I cannot tell right from wrong or that I don't have my own mind. I am here, am I not? Part of that treasure must go to the people of Laketown, as was promised. And the heirlooms of your people should be given back to you. But to bicker over gold and silver while an Orc army approaches this camp is absurd. Since when has Gandalf's council counted for so little? I believe him when he says that we are all in mortal danger. And I agree that we must try and set our differences aside for now, and deal with the real threat at hand."

Another long silence followed her words, and Arinna held Thranduil's piercing gaze while Bard inclined his head beside him, giving a small nod.

"How long before the enemy arrives here?" the Lakeman asked quietly and Gandalf gave him a relieved nod before he answered.

"Two days at the most," he said earnestly, and Arinna felt her heart sink at the words. She looked up as the wizard put a large hand on her shoulder. "We must go tomorrow and try once more to reason with them. Hopefully the direness of the situation will be enough to sway Thorin's mind."

* * *

The druid was back in her tent, quietly discussing the matters of the evening with Bilbo. The hobbit was sat on one of the two small cots that had been provided for them, wringing his hands in his lap.

"Do you truly think Thorin will go to war over this?" Bilbo asked and she let out a deep sigh, shrugging slightly.

"He will take back that stone by force if he must. I'm certain of it," she said, looking up when Bilbo let out an exasperated sound.

"Then it was all for nothing. I thought giving them the Arkenstone to trade would resolve the situation," he muttered, a deep concern mirroring in his eyes. "Now it seems I have only made matters worse."

"No, Bilbo," Arinna answered with a soft sigh, empathy filling her heart as she watched the hobbit squirm slightly, obviously ridden with guilt. She shook her head as he looked up at her dubiously. "Remember, up on the wall, you told me that I mustn't hold it against you? I want you to know that I do not. I haven't, not for one moment. You did the right thing, and a very brave thing at that."

The hobbit inclined his head. "I betrayed him," he uttered. "He trusted me."

"You did not betray him," Arinna countered, walking over now to sit beside the hobbit. He let out a sigh as she slung one arm over his shoulder, squeezing him gently. "You only tried to help. Thorin will come to see that eventually. For now, we can only hope that he will see reason before war arrives on his doorstep."

Bilbo just made a noncommittal sound in return, before he slung his own arm across her middle and they sat there together in silence for a long while. They were jerked out of their respective thoughts, when a bell sounded loudly from outside their tent and they looked up, hearing people calling out to each other in the camp.

"Dwarves!" Arinna heard one of the men shout as Bilbo and her made their way to the outside, and the hobbit shot her an excited look, not even hesitating for a moment before he took off running after the soldiers. Arinna followed quickly, her heart beating fast in her chest, as she traced Bilbo through the tents toward the edge of the river. She came to a halt there, finding Bard and Gandalf, as well as Thranduil, already gathered on the riverbank. They were staring across the water and it was only when Arinna had managed to follow after Bilbo to the front of the people, that she realised why. They had not been alerted to any movement of the Company but of someone else.

An army of dwarves stood on the other side of the river, gathered in position behind an imposing looking dwarf in armour, riding atop a huge armoured war-hog. He had a long, braided brown beard specked with grey strands of hair and a grim face.

"I am Dain, son of Nain!" The dwarf at the front proclaimed loudly, after both sides had observed each other for a while. He eyed them darkly. "We are hastening to our kinsmen in the mountain, since we learn that the kingdom of old is renewed. But who are you that sit in the plain as foes before defended walls?"

Arinna huffed quietly to herself, though Bilbo stood close enough to hear. "In other words, 'You have no business here. We're going on, so make way or we shall fight you'."

Suddenly, before anyone could answer, there was a loud rumbling in the air, like thunder, though the sky was clear and shone with stars. Arinna looked up in surprise, along with everyone else, and saw that far on the horizon dark clouds had gathered and hurried over the sky with awful swiftness. She narrowed her eyes, realising that these clouds were not actually moving with the wind, before she realised that they were not clouds at all.

"Bats!" one of the Elven soldiers called out, confirming her thoughts.

The beasts were still very far away but whirling forward, their numbers so dense that no light could be seen between their wings. While the others watched on in shock, it was Gandalf's loud voice that pierced the silence, his voice like thunder as his staff flashed a bright light, like lightning of its own, and all eyes turned back to him.

"Dread has come upon you all! And more swiftly than I guessed. The goblins are upon you, Azog the Defiler is coming. Dain, son of Nain! Come! There is yet time for council."

The dwarf-lord hesitated, though the wizard could see in his eyes the uncertainty dissipating as the bats approached in the sky. They all knew that such bats were bred for one purpose alone; for war. And now, neither the dwarves, nor any of the Men or Elves had any doubt anymore that these were scouts, sent ahead of an approaching Orc and Goblin army. Gandalf had been right. And so, Dain gave his men gruff but swift orders to gather together with the Elves and Men, guarding the camp and keeping watch over the distant horizon while he joined the wizard's council.

"We must join together for this battle," Gandalf was saying a few minutes later when he had gathered all of them together in a tent once more. His tone was now more urgent than before. "It is the only chance we have. Elves, Men and Dwarves stand against Orcs and Goblins."

"I did not expect to fight an army of such beasts upon coming here," Dain said. His voice was deep and calm now, in contrast to his battle-ready attire, and his grey eyes alert. He was looking around the tent, his gaze turning slightly hostile when it fell upon the Elven king, who ignored it graciously. "I was to join my cousin in his cause. He made no mention of Orcs."

"That's because he doesn't know yet," Gandalf uttered, earning himself a surprised glare from Dain. The dwarf threw up his hands, his face showing the obvious impression that he was the only reasonable one in this tent.

"Then we must inform him!" he growled. "Thorin will join my ranks and lead us, no doubt. And for the best, for he has the best fighters of all of the Ered Luin in his company."

Gandalf cleared his throat slightly, though it was someone else who answered the dwarf's words.

"Thorin is sick," Bilbo uttered quietly, shrinking slightly beneath the dwarf's heavy gaze as it suddenly came to rest on him. "Perhaps you ought to know that first."

"Sick?" Dain repeated, confusion and disbelief in his voice as he regarded the hobbit with a deep frown. Bilbo just nodded. "Sick, how?"

"It is dragon-sickness," the hobbit answered, his words causing the dwarf-lord's face to suddenly turn to anger.

Dain shook his head at the hobbit, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Dragon-sickness! You little liar, that's impossible. Thorin could never –"

"It is true," Arinna interrupted softly, feeling drained at all this fighting and discussing that had been going on all day. The dwarf turned to her, as though he was only now noticing that she was there at all. And indeed, he had not paid her much attention before now, although as he looked at her now, he thought that perhaps he should have. "He is not himself."

Dain took in the small woman's form, noticing that despite of how tired she looked and sounded, her voice was firm and her eyes truthful and sad. He wondered for a moment why the topic would affect her at all, before his eyes fell on the intricate braid behind her left ear, which fell over her shoulder with the rest of her dark strands. He frowned in confusion, though knowing that there was no mistaking what he saw.

"What's your name, lass?" he asked, without responding to her previous words.

"Arinna," the druid provided quietly, looking at the dwarf-lord as he gave a thoughtful nod. She felt herself grow slightly uncomfortable as his heavy gaze kept resting on her.

"That braid in your hair, Arinna," he finally muttered then, his voice calmly curious and surprisingly friendly as he looked at her. "Who gave you it?"

Arinna hesitated, slightly taken aback by the dwarf's question and tone, and unsure whether it would help the situation at all if she told him. Dain stared at her patiently for a few moments, before he raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Thorin?" he ventured, when she still hadn't answered, causing the druid's cheeks to redden as she shook her head quickly. Dain gave a short nod. "No, that would have been a shock indeed. He'd be much too old for a young lass like yourself, anyway."

"His nephew," Arinna finally said, partly to stop him talking, as the dwarf-lord kept staring at her expectantly. Dain nodded again at her quiet words. He kept his piercing grey eyes trained on her.

"Which nephew?"

"Fili," Arinna answered, after another moment's hesitation. She felt a slight sting in her heart at the mention of his name, missing him dearly. She wished that he was here with her. As things were though, the druid merely watched with slight unease as Dain cracked a small smile, surprise written across his face as he shook his head in disbelief. He let out a rough laugh then and Arinna flinched as he suddenly dropped a large hand on her shoulder.

"Well, then you're practically family, aren't you?" he rumbled and laughed again at Arinna's wide-eyed expression, patting her shoulder. He sobered slightly then, his deep voice growing more serious. "Such a braid is not given lightly. Especially to an outsider. In fact, I don't think I've heard of such a thing being done in a hundred years. But if Prince Fili has declared you as his One, then I have no reason to doubt your word. I will send a raven to Thorin, tell him of what has happened. I am sure he will see reason if the word comes from his own kin."

Arinna was not sure if Dain was right, knowing how Thorin had suspected his own kin of withholding the Arkenstone from him for the past days. However, she could not deny the relief she felt at his acceptance of her and her relationship with Fili. She had not expected it at all, as it was much more than Thorin had granted her. It reminded her once more that perhaps the dwarf-king would have reacted differently had he not been under the influence of the sickness already when they arrived in the mountain. She let out a small sigh, knowing that this was merely speculation, a thought that she used to comfort herself.


	33. The brewing storm

**Here's a new chapter for you lovely people, hope you enjoy! Thank you very much to FizzWizz2011, purple-pygmy-puff16, Erikawaskiki, Miss. J. Nori and sploosh93 for your reviews on the last one. As always, I'd love to know what you make of this one.**

* * *

Fili was sat in the entrance hall, surrounded by most of his companions and yet feeling more alone than ever before in his life. He had a small piece of rock in his hand, which he was playing with as he thought about the events of the previous day, his face set in a grim mask. He still could not believe that Arinna was truly gone, that she had left the mountain without him. That he had let her go. And yet, he could not find it in himself to blame her, or to feel any other way but sad. She had told him days ago how she felt about Thorin withholding the Lakemen's share of the treasure and about how his behaviour went against what she believed in. Of course, Fili knew that this was all because of the damned dragon-sickness, because of the hold that this gold seemed to have over his uncle, and he knew that Arinna knew it, as well. It was an explanation for his behaviour, yet not an excuse.

What the young prince didn't know was what he was supposed to do. Perhaps he should have left with her, he thought glumly, perhaps that would have shocked his uncle back into his right mind. But, how could he have? This was Thorin, after all. His uncle, his king – the person he had always looked up to ever since he had been a little dwarfling growing up in the Ered Luin. The person that had helped raise him, who had been the closest to a father figure he'd had after his own father's death. Thorin was the person he had always aspired to become when he grew older. How was he supposed to just give up on him?

"A raven!"

Fili jerked out of his thoughts and looked up to see Nori running down the stairs from where he had been on watch duty on the wall atop the gate. Frowning, he watched as the red-haired dwarf waved a small piece of parchment in his hand, handing it over to Dwalin as the burly dwarf asked to see it.

"It's a message from Dain," Dwalin announced in surprise, looking up shortly at his companions as he pointed out the wax seal on the parchment, before he began to read it out to them aloud. "Azog leads an army of orcs and goblins onto the mountain. I have joined my forces with the Elves and Men. Our grievances with them must wait. Cousin, we ask for your help. Join us in battle."

A long silence filled the room as Dwalin let his hand drop to his side, the small piece of parchment held firmly between his fingers. None of the dwarves knew how to react to this unexpected news.

"If this is true, then we must join them," Kili finally said, being the first to regain his voice. He looked around the room, receiving a few nods in return. Dwalin cleared his throat, a conflicted look on his face.

"Nori, go and fetch Thorin," he then said, reminding them all that their king had once more secluded himself in the treasure hall, by himself. The bald dwarf caught Kili's gaze, the younger dwarf simply giving him a quick nod. "He must know."

Nori didn't hesitate and after he had left the hall, Kili looked over to his brother, who was clenching the rock he had been playing with before tightly in his hand. He frowned slightly, before he made his way over to him. He let himself sink down beside Fili, who didn't look up at him at his arrival.

"Are you alright?" Kili asked quietly, his words finally gaining him his brother's attention. Fili's grip on the rock tightened a little bit further, before he turned it over between his fingers.

"Am I alright?" Fili repeated the question lowly, a slight huff in his voice. He shook his head, giving his little brother a pointed look. "Our uncle has gone mad, a war is coming and the love of my life is out there, alone in a camp of strangers, while an army of Orcs is coming her way. No, Kili, I don't think I'm anywhere close to alright."

"She's not alone," Kili uttered, trying to sound optimistic. "Bilbo's with her."

"Very reassuring," the blond dwarf huffed in return, before he suddenly and forcefully threw the stone he had been holding against a nearby wall. "I'm entrusting the life of my One to a hobbit who wields a letter opener as a sword."

Kili sighed quietly, knowing that Fili didn't truly think that Bilbo was as useless as his words made it sound. Though he could understand how he worried for Arinna, as he worried about her himself. Kili had never been in love and didn't know what it felt like to have a One, but still, he could imagine how much it affected Fili not being able to look out for Arinna. Kili himself had come to see her as a close friend over the course of their journey, before it had ever turned out that his brother and her were in love. Now, she was like a little sister to him, and much like Fili, he worried for her and wanted nothing more than to know her safe and sound.

"Gandalf is with her, too," he finally offered up, looking at Fili who merely let out a deep sigh in return. His little brother inclined his head slightly and was about to say something else, when Nori returned with Thorin on his heels, a thunderous look on the dwarf-king's face. Kili's mouth fell shut as he watched his uncle approaching the group. Thorin was wearing a thick embroidered cloak now and a heavy crown on his head, his grand-father's crown, which he had found among the treasure.

"What is this?" the dwarf-king asked gruffly, looking from dwarf to dwarf until his eyes found Dwalin, who was wordlessly holding out the piece of parchment that the raven had brought.

"It came from Dain," he said, as Thorin snatched it up and began to read quietly. They all watched for his reaction as his blue eyes skimmed over the runes, taking in the message. He finished reading with a deep frown on his face, shaking his head before he suddenly crumpled up the parchment in his fist and threw it away. Fili watched it land among a small pile of broken stone, before he looked back at his uncle.

"Nonsense," Thorin muttered darkly, more to himself than any of them, though the room was quiet enough for everyone to hear him clearly, as his gruff voice echoed off the walls.

"It is not nonsense!" Fili answered loudly, unable to hold back his feelings as he abruptly got to his feet, facing his uncle. Thorin sent him a withering look while Kili slowly got to his feet to stand beside his brother, as the blond dwarf went on. "It has Dain's seal on it, so it must be from him. He would not lie about such a thing, what reason would he have?"

"He would not be the first to betray me!" Thorin growled, causing Fili to grind his teeth together angrily. The young prince shook his head, frustrated beyond belief. He stared at his uncle, his jaw clenching as he took a few deep breaths. And then he made up his mind.

"I'm going over the wall," he finally announced, looking around the gathered companions. "Who's coming with me?"

"I am!" Kili was the first one to answer, standing beside his brother with his face set with determination. Just as Fili had said on the day of the company's departure from Laketown, he belonged with his brother.

"Aye! Yes!" Some others called out then, getting to their feet as well. Fili gave them a nod, motioning with his head toward the stairway.

"Come on!"

"Stand down!" Thorin uttered darkly, his voice echoing dangerously off the stone walls. Fili turned his head back toward his uncle, giving him an incredulous look.

"What? Are we to do _nothing_?" he asked, feeling sudden anger rising up within him as Thorin gave him a stern look and a shake of his head. Fili took a few steps toward him, his voice rising in volume. "I will not hide behind a wall of stone while others fight our battles for us, Thorin! I will not have my One and my kin fighting on their own against an army of Orcs! I will –"

"_You_," Thorin interrupted him sharply. "Will _stand down_."

And with that the dwarf-king turned around and walked off, his eyes blazing with fury, while Fili could do nothing but stare after him in utter disbelief. He barely felt the comforting hand that his little brother put on his shoulder, or the sad looks that the others gave him and each other. It was Dwalin who finally let out a deep sigh.

"I'll talk to him," he uttered toward Fili, who barely acknowledged his words, before he followed after Thorin.

He found him only a few minutes later in the throne room. Ever since Thorin had learned that the Arkenstone was no longer in the mountain, he had spent most his time in here, pacing up and down, or sitting stiffly on his grandfather's throne. Now he was standing in front of it, staring at the dark stone as Dwalin approached him slowly from behind.

"Thorin," the bald dwarf said quietly, ripping the dwarf-king out of his thoughts as he whirled around to face him. "Since when do we forsake our own people? We cannot let them face this enemy alone."

Thorin stared at his friend for a moment, his eyes distant. "There are holes beneath holes within this Mountain," he muttered. "Places we can fortify. Shore up, make safe? Yes. Yes, that is it. We must move the gold further underground, to safety."

"Did you not hear me?" Dwalin frowned, catching Thorin's attention again as the dwarf turned to leave, no doubt for the treasure hall. "Dain has asked for our help. They'll be slaughtered, Thorin."

"Many die in war," the dwarf-king said, now giving his old friend a dark look. "Life is cheap. But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost. It is worth all the blood we can spend, do you not see that?"

Dwalin took a step backwards, feeling as though Thorin's words had punched him right in the gut. A sad look filled his eyes as he addressed the dwarf-king in a low murmur. "It is you who cannot see, Thorin. You sit here in these vast halls with a crown upon your head… and yet you are lesser now than you have ever been."

"Do not speak to me as if I were some lowly dwarf-lord," Thorin growled angrily. "As if I were still Thorin _Oakenshield_. I am your king!"

"You were always my king," Dwalin answered tiredly, shaking his head. "You used to know that once. You cannot see what you have become."

Thorin's eyes sparked with anger. "Go," he snarled. "Get out, before I kill you."

* * *

"He has not replied."

Arinna looked up, finding Dain standing beside her. She was sat on top of a small boulder near the river and had been staring up at the Lonely Mountain while playing with the small dagger that Fili had given her. It seemed to her like an age had passed since they had been standing together outside of the troll cave. She wondered whether they'd be standing together once more, before the battle would reach them.

The druid let out a small sigh and gave the dwarf-lord a sympathetic look, seeing him glance toward the mountain as well. Dain had sent out a raven to Erebor the night before and it was now morning, a pale sun illuminating the barren landscape around them in the early hours. No answer had come from the mountain.

"There is still time," the druid muttered, though she did not hold much hope for a reply from Thorin at this point. She feared how badly the dragon-sickness was affecting him by now, however, she did not want to mention this to Dain. The dwarf-lord did not need someone to confirm his own concerns, but a voice of hope. Dain gave her a lingering sideways look, shaking his head slightly.

"It's kind of you to say," he said with a mirthless smile. "But I fear we are running out of time rather quickly. The enemy will be here by nightfall."

Arinna averted her gaze, glancing back toward the mountain once more, before she slowly sheathed the dagger in her boot. "Then we must prepare," she stated simply, as she got to her feet, sending the dwarf-lord an encouraging look. "And hope that our friends might still come to our aid."

Dain merely nodded with a small sigh of his own and together they marched back into the camp, passing Men, Elves and Dwarves on their way.

"It is strange to see," Dain muttered as they walked along, letting his gaze roam around the camp. "To see the three of our races, preparing to fight alongside each other. A rare thing indeed."

"It is as it should always be," the druid replied softly, looking around while Dain shot her a short look. Again, he smiled slightly to himself. "In face of such darkness, one remembers the things we have in common, the things that we all fight for and that unite us. Rather than letting our differences define us."

"I can see why Fili fell for you."

His unexpected words and change of topic made Arinna falter slightly in her steps, and she shot the dwarf a surprised look. She felt her cheeks flush lightly as he gave her an emphatic nod.

"There is something about you," he uttered, his voice amicable as he thought of how to formulate his thoughts. "You are a fierce woman, you show that with your strength, your honesty, your integrity. It could not have been easy to leave that mountain with the hobbit, but here you are, still proving your loyalty to Thorin's company, to Fili, by trying to help as much as you can from the outside, to do what you believe is right. Yet, I can also see such kindness in you, a sweetness that you extend to practical strangers like myself. I am truly sorry we had to meet under such circumstances, lass."

For a moment, Arinna was utterly speechless and she unconsciously halted in her tracks, causing the older dwarf to do the same. He sent her a questioning look upon the strange look that played on her face. "I… I must admit, I am surprised to hear you say this," the druid finally uttered, watching as Dain's eyebrows rose slightly. She took a deep breath, shaking her head slightly. "Thorin's reaction to our courtship was… well, less than positive, shall we say. I didn't expect anyone to really be in favour of the crown prince of Erebor courting someone like me."

"What do you mean by someone like you, lass?" Dain asked her kindly, the expression in his eyes gentle as she gave a small shrug in return.

"An outsider," she explained. "A woman with nothing to her name, no wealth or riches to speak of, no proper home, – "

"Lass," the dwarf-lord interrupted her with a small smile, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze. "It's true, there might be certain expectations put on young Fili in his position. But these expectations don't matter if he has found his One, not really. It is a sacred bond to us dwarves, and Thorin knows this. Rest assured, Arinna of Evendim, that my cousin knows your worth and that he will come to accept and support your courtship with his nephew once his mind has cleared."

A small, touched smile pulled at the druid's lips and she inclined her head in thanks. His words had rather overwhelmed her once more, and she was at a loss for what to say as Dain gave her shoulder another comforting squeeze, shooting her another smile.

"You are very kind," she finally uttered, before her attention was suddenly pulled away from the dwarf-lord. King Thranduil was standing by the entrance of a tent, talking to one of his soldiers, though when he noticed them standing close by, he gave Arinna a small wave of his hand, motioning for her to join him. The druid merely shot Dain a last grateful look, which he acknowledged with a pat of her shoulder before letting her go. She followed the Elven king's gesture hesitantly, coming to a halt in front of Thranduil, who had by now dismissed the soldier.

"I have something for you," Thranduil said slowly, his cold blue eyes eyeing her intently. He nodded toward the tent. "Follow me."

The druid let out a small breath, bracing herself as she followed after the Elf. She did not know what to expect and her eyes widened when Thranduil came to a halt beside a low table, on which a beautiful silver sword and an intricately ornated bow were laid out beside each other, along with a quiver filled with sharp arrows. She took a few careful steps toward the table, feeling the king's heavy gaze rest on her as she did.

"What is this?" she asked quietly, holding back from reaching out and touching the edge of the sword's sheath with her fingertips. It was curved slightly, the hilt adorned with beautiful Elven carvings. It reminded the druid of the sword that Thorin had picked up from the troll cave many months ago, though she could see that it was only similar, not the same.

"They are a gift," Thranduil finally answered, sounding content at the obvious amazement on the druid's face. "You left the mountain with nothing but the clothes on your back and that puny little dagger in your boot that you keep playing with. Even a powerful druid such as yourself could do with a better weapon than that when going to war."

Arinna looked up sharply at the mention of her origin. "How do you know that I am a druid?"

"I have been on this Earth many thousand years and I know well its many creatures," he answered slowly, before a small and rather unexpected smile began to pull at the corner of the Elf's lips. Arinna hadn't actually seen him smile before. "And the hobbit talks. Apparently, you managed to heal one of the dwarves from the poison of a Morgul arrow."

"Morgul? No, I just –"

"You may take my word for it," Thranduil interrupted coolly, the smile fading from his lips again as she stared up at him. "We captured one of the Orcs that were hunting down your friends. The creature was rather certain that the young dwarf was going to die by the poison of a Morgul shaft."

Arinna's mouth fell shut, her thoughts whirling in her head at his words. She had known the poison that had threatened Kili's life in Laketown had been a strong one indeed, but she had not thought it within her power to heal a wound caused by a Morgul weapon. It was unheard of.

"You seem surprised."

The druid looked back up at the blond Elf before her, noticing that he was eyeing her curiously, though with a knowing look behind his eyes. She merely gave a small shrug, unsure of what to say.

"Gandalf told me where you hail from," the Elven king continued slowly. "It may interest you to know that it was once said that the druids of the East held a much more powerful magic than any of their Western brothers and sisters. That, in fact, druid magic itself was born in these very parts of the world."

Arinna inclined her head, giving him a small nod to show that she had understood. She felt overwhelmed by this information, though she supposed it explained how she had been able to do the things she had done on this journey, the things she had previously thought herself incapable of. She heard the Elf clear his throat quietly beside her.

"Well," he said quietly, giving her one last intense look before he turned and walked away, moving swiftly out of the tent as he spoke without looking back. "Take the weapons. I trust you know how to use them."

The druid stood stiffly for a few long moments after Thranduil had disappeared, before she finally turned toward the table once more. She reached out and picked up the sword, drawing it from its sheath in one swift motion. The blade glistened in the dim light and the druid swung it in the air several times, noticing how light it felt in her hand and how well balanced it was. She shook her head slightly, fastening it to her belt, before she picked up the bow. It, too, proved to be of exceptional craftmanship and she slung it over her shoulder together with the quiver. Slowly, she let her hand brush against the leather strap that held the quiver to her back, feeling for a moment like she had when she had arrived at Bag End many months ago, her old sword dangling at her hip and her bow across her shoulder.

She left the tent shortly after and went to join Gandalf, Bard, Thranduil and Dain in council. Bilbo, who was also there, made big eyes when she entered with her new weapons and complimented her quietly on them, as she came to stand next to him. The druid merely gave him a small smile before she concentrated on the discussion at hand. For several hours the group discussed their battle plans, which so far did not include the company of Thorin Oakenshield. It was decided that Men and Dwarves would cover the Eastern spur, while Thranduil and his army would man the Southern spur, while some would stay behind to protect the people that were still taking shelter within Dale, hoping that this would give them enough cover to not be overrun by the approaching orcs and goblins, who would no doubt attack from different sides.

It was past midday already when they decided to take their places, knowing it was best to form their ranks while there was still time. Arinna was on foot, walking along solemnly behind Dain on his great war hog. Bilbo was marching with her, his hand repeatedly coming up to grasp the hilt of his small sword Sting, as though to reassure himself that he still had it with him.

"Courage, Bilbo," she muttered beside him, when she caught sight of his hand drifting towards it again, giving him an encouraging smile as she felt her own weapons weigh heavy on her. "We will make it through this, my friend, don't worry."

The hobbit just gave a jerky nod and Arinna's gaze moved forward again, finding the Lonely Mountain looming tall before them. Her heart grew heavy in her chest as they approached it, their armies coming to a halt close to the sealed entrance gate, before they would disperse and take their respective places.

It was just as Thranduil raised his sword, preparing to address his men, when a loud noise echoed over the plain like thunder. A few of the soldiers looked up to the sky, though Arinna's gaze had been drawn to Erebor's gate. One of the large boulders that had sealed the gate had fallen from its place, tumbling to the ground and rolling across it with a loud bang. The druid grasped Bilbo's shoulder, the hobbit also staring at the gate with his breath held.

Another crack, another bang. And another boulder fell as the gate shook from within.


	34. Reunion

**Happy Holidays! Thanks to McKenna079 for your review on the last chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this one, let me know what you think!**

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"ONE MORE!"

The dwarves heaved the giant pillar backwards once more, following Thorin's orders.

The dwarf-king had returned to them only a few moments ago, after several hours in which no one had seen him or even known where he was. Dwalin had come back earlier with news of how their conversation had gone, though he had left out the details, and only said how he had not been able to convince Thorin to change his mind. The news had settled over them heavily. They had sat together in the entrance hall for a long time, not knowing what to do. Fili had tried once more to convince the others to go over the wall with him, but although none of them wanted to stay in the mountain, they did not dare go directly against Thorin's orders even now.

And then, out of nowhere, Thorin had come back. And the change in him had been almost palpable. The heavy crown that he had been wearing on his head all the time since they had reclaimed the mountain had suddenly disappeared, he had discarded his heavy, kingly robes and was standing before them in the very clothes that he had travelled to the mountain with. His dark blue eyes were clear and alert, the dark circles that had formed beneath them lessened.

Then he had addressed them all, in the way he used to do before he had crowned himself king, like friends and family, rather than subjects he needed to be suspicious of. Fili had barely been able to believe his eyes or ears when his uncle had come to stand before him and had uttered a sincere apology. Thorin had told him that he had been right, that Durin's folk did not run from a fight. And that he did not intend to leave his own kin to wage this war on their own. And then he had asked his old companions to follow him, one last time.

And so now they were here, following Thorin's order, all of them together lifting up one of the mighty broken pillars of the entrance hall, using it to break through the gate that he had previously had them seal shut.

"ONE MORE!" Thorin yelled again, and they did as they were told, running at the gate once more, and feeling it give out at last.

They broke through to the other side among great noise as boulders toppled down before them, and were blinded by the sudden white light of the sun. Fili blinked against the light, dropping the giant pillar together with the others. It fell to the ground with a loud, final noise, though it barely registered in the young prince's mind. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight, he beheld the large numbers of people gathered before the gate, armies of Men, Elves and Dwarves standing together at the bottom of the mountain.

He blinked again against the pale light of the sun, almost to make sure that he was not imagining things. He let his eyes roam across the front line, before his heart suddenly stopped for a moment as he saw someone making their way through the crowd.

"FILI!"

The dwarf rushed forward as soon as he heard the druid's voice call out toward him, seeing her push past Bard and a dwarf whom he recognised as Dain. A beautifully bright smile broke across her face as she met his gaze across the space between them, immediately setting off toward him. Fili closed the distance from the other side, catching the running druid in his arms as soon as she was within reach, capturing her in a tight hug. He felt her arms wrap around his neck and he buried his face in her hair, breathing in her familiar scent as he tightened his hold on her even more, unwilling to let go of her for even a moment. He had been foolish to let her go in the first place, to not have followed her. He did not care that everyone around them was staring, Men, Elves and Dwarves alike. All that counted was that she was back with him and that she was alright.

"I was beginning to lose hope," Arinna finally muttered into his ear, her head against his shoulder. Fili let out a deep breath, squeezing her tightly once more before he slowly let go of her, his hands coming to rest on her upper arms as he looked at her. It was only now that he managed to take in her whole attire, noticing the light armour she wore, Elven no doubt. He also noticed the Elven sword and bow she was carrying now, the sight making him feel a certain kind of unease, knowing that she would have to use them soon enough. He shook his head slightly.

"Did you think I would let you go to war on your own, my love?" Fili asked her quietly, his voice slightly hoarse, as he brought his hands up to brush them softly over her cheeks. She smiled lightly as he stroked his thumbs along her cheekbones, before he leaned in and pressed a long, passionate kiss to her lips, which she returned just as eagerly. The smile on her face had grown slightly shakier as they pulled apart, a thin veil of relieved tears covering her emerald eyes as she reached out to put one hand over his chest, her hand brushing over his own armour.

"I am glad that we are going to face this evil together," she whispered, feeling her stomach tighten uncomfortably as he let out a small sigh, his thumb gently brushing against the skin of her cheek once more. "I cannot tell you how much I've missed you, Fili."

She inclined her head as Fili pulled her face toward him, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Arinna let herself be held like this for a moment, drawing strength from the prince's embrace, before her gaze wandered over his shoulder. Behind Fili, she saw the rest of her companions gathered, her friends all clad in armour and carrying heavy weapons. They were prepared for war, the druid could see as much, and the knowledge made her stomach drop further.

"It is good to see you, lass," Balin greeted her kindly as he walked up to the two of them, giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze just as Fili let go of her.

"And you, Balin," Arinna returned, which the old dwarf acknowledged with a smile, before he walked over to greet Dain, who had now dismounted his war hog. Her gaze then drifted over Fili's shoulder again to the rest of her friends. "All of you."

As the dwarves returned her greeting with relieved smiles on their faces, a small yelp suddenly escaped the druid when she felt herself being scooped up right out of Fili's arms in one swift move. Her feet dangling slightly in the air, she found herself wrapped in a tight hug, as her breath was squeezed out of her.

"Oh, how glad I am to see you, namadîth!" Kili laughed loudly into her ear, rendering her unable to help her own chuckle as she returned his hug happily. He squeezed her one last time, before he put her down slowly, a broad grin on his youthful face as he looked at her. "I've missed you! That mountain's been awfully quiet without you."

"I'm sure you've kept everyone well entertained, Kili," the druid smiled, feeling her heart fill with affection for her friend. "I've missed you, too. Though I must ask you, what does namadîth mean?"

Kili's grin widened at her butchered pronunciation of the word, and Arinna's eyebrows rose with curiosity as he gave her a small wink in return to her question.

"It means 'little sister'. Which, I believe, is entirely appropriate at this point," Kili explained proudly, causing a surprised smile to appear on his friend's face. Though it was only moments before he saw it falter, when she suddenly met Thorin's icy blue gaze over his shoulder.

The dwarf-king had been standing at the back of his company, when Fili and the druid had reunited and was only now slowly making his way toward them. Arinna could not decipher the look on his face, though she knew that it must have been him who gave the order to take down the barricade. She shot Fili an uncertain look as he stepped up to her side again just in time to see Thorin come to a halt in front of them.

The dwarf-king watched as Fili put one arm protectively around the druid's middle, feeling a slight sting in his heart at the defensive look his nephew gave him. He suppressed a small sigh as he let his gaze wander over Arinna's new Elvish armour and her Elvish weapons, before his gaze once more found the intricate braid behind her left ear.

"I was very unfair to you," he finally spoke, remorse filling his voice as he looked into her eyes. She was watching him attentively, a small frown creasing her forehead as she listened. He inclined his head slightly, as he gathered his thoughts. "When we started out on this journey, I asked of my men but three things. Loyalty, honour and a willing heart. You gave all three, time and again. And yet, the things I said to you… I can never make amends for them. All I can say is that I am truly sorry. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I could not see the truth."

He held her gaze for a long moment, before she finally spoke. "What is the truth?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching Thorin's face as he gave her a tentative smile, looking over to Fili and back to her.

"The truth is that I could not have asked for a more loyal companion than you," he answered. "You were brave enough to follow your heart, to do the right thing, when I was too blind to see that you only meant well. The truth is, Arinna of Evendim, that my nephew could not have made a better choice, or found a more befitting match. You may not be a dwarf, but you _are _one of us."

Arinna couldn't help the small lump building in her throat as she took in Thorin's words, feeling them lighten the weight on her heart. This was him, the Thorin she remembered, the one she had come to trust and respect as a leader and a king over the course of this journey. She inclined her head, not wanting him to see the tears that had gathered in her eyes, but Thorin reached out, carefully grasping hold of her chin so that she would look at him for his next words.

"You have my blessing," he muttered with unusual kindness, giving her a nod before he looked at Fili, who was staring at him in surprise but obvious joy. He let go of Arinna's face and brought his hand to his nephew's cheek instead, giving Fili an apologetic smile. "I am sorry it took me so long to give it to you."

Fili just shook his head, unable to form any words, before he rushed forward and gave his uncle a firm hug, which Thorin returned with a relieved smile.

"You have joined us after all, cousin!"

Thorin pulled back from Fili's embrace at the sound of Dain's voice carrying over toward them, and they swiftly knocked their heads together in greeting. Thorin nodded his head at his cousin's words.

"Aye," he said. "We could not let you claim victory over our enemies all on your own, could we, cousin?"

Dain grinned, nodding his head. Then he put his hand firmly on Thorin's shoulder. "Will you lead us, Thorin?" he asked proudly. "It would be an honour for us to follow the King under the Mountain into battle."

Thorin hesitated for a moment, taken aback slightly by his cousin's unexpected request and the sound of his title, which had been a heavy burden on his mind for the past weeks.

"Would you follow Thorin _Oakenshield_ instead?" he asked seriously, and though Dain did not quite know what he meant by it, he still gave a firm nod, which emanated several loud cheers from the dwarves of the Iron Hills, as well as the company.

"As touching as these little reunions are," someone suddenly spoke, and Thorin bristled slightly at the familiar sound of King Thranduil's voice. "We do not have much time. Sundown is fast approaching. I will bring my soldiers into position; I suggest the King under the Mountain do the same."

While Thorin just gave a nod, Thranduil moved his steed along, commandeering his army to the Southern spurs of the mountain. The dwarf-king watched him go for a few moments, before he walked with Dain to the front of the Dwarven ranks. The company followed him slowly.

"Arinna!"

The druid turned around from where she was walking along beside Fili, finding Bofur jogging slightly to catch up to her.

"Where's Bilbo?" the hatted dwarf asked and Arinna smiled, pointing toward the ranks before them, where she had stood with him only a little while ago, before she had reunited with Fili.

"Oh, he's right…" A frown suddenly appeared on her face and she dropped her hand, looking around but not finding the hobbit anywhere among the men. He had been beside her at the front of the ranks when she had run to Fili, though he was nowhere to be seen now. She scanned the ranks for him once more, her confusion growing, but it was as though he had simply vanished. He could not have simply vanished into thin air, the druid thought, her frown deepening as she turned back toward Bofur, her smile now gone. "He _was _right there."

And in truth, Bilbo was still standing in the very same spot as before, though nobody could see him now. A sudden fear had gripped him when he had seen Thorin walking out of the mountain, and without thinking he had taken the gold ring he had found in the Goblin tunnels and slipped it onto his finger. And now he stood, invisible, and watched as Arinna looked around for him, confusion and worry written across her face when she couldn't find him.


	35. The clouds burst

**Happy New Year everyone! This chapter's a bit of a longer one, so be prepared. (Also be prepared for... sad things. Sorry in advance!) And, of course, thank you very much to purple-pygmy-puff16 and Faron Oakenshield for your lovely reviews on the last chapter. I'd really like to hear everyone's thoughts after this one.**

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And thus, the battle began.

Fili had taken his place in the ranks behind his uncle and Dain, who were leading the charge together. They had taken up their posts together with Bard and his men not long before sundown and they did not have to wait long before they could see the bats closing in on the far horizon, a dark cloud in the air that was accompanied by a dark mass down on the ground. Azog's army was upon them.

The young prince had braced himself, exchanging a determined look with his brother next to him, as he had gripped his swords in both hands. He was ready, and yet he wasn't. His eyes had drifted from the approaching horde to Arinna, who was stood but a few steps ahead of him in the front line, her bow drawn and an arrow notched, together with the other archers. He felt a sudden fear overwhelming his heart as he watched her, though he tried to keep it at bay. Even though he would have preferred her somewhere far away from here, it was too late to change anything now. They were in this, together, and war was coming. And all they could do was fight for their lives and for Erebor while their hearts were filled with courage and beating in their chests.

He looked up when he heard the enemies' screeches echo over the vast plain, and saw that they were approaching fast on wolves and wargs.

"Ready!" He heard someone shout, realising that it was Bard, addressing the archers. The dragon-slayer was moving his own bow and arrow along with his commands. "Aim!"

Fili's eyes flicked back toward the druid before him, as Arinna aimed her first arrow toward the sky, waiting until the orcs were close enough for their blows to hit them. The dwarf took a deep breath, his gaze flicking between the approaching army and his beloved's tense back, when he heard Bard's final call.

"FIRE!"

Arinna did not hesitate and swiftly let her arrow fly, quickly notching another one before her first one had even hit its mark. She couldn't be sure if it had in any case, her own arrow lost among all the others that were whizzing through the air, hitting the first ranks of orcs and goblins. Those that went down with ear-splitting shrieks were immediately trampled by the following horde and Arinna shot arrow after arrow, each time waiting for Bard's command, until finally the orcs were getting too close.

"DU BEKÂR!"

The druid looked over for a second, hearing Thorin's booming voice ring out over their ranks. She watched him lift his sword high above his head and point it forward, a look of pure fury and determination on his face. He exchanged a look with his cousin, before he began to charge forward.

"DU BEKÂR! DU BEKÂR!"

The druid felt a shiver run down her spine at the sound of a choir of different voices echoing the dwarven war chant, and the noise of several hundred pairs of feet setting into action behind her. She felt the earth tremble slightly as the Dwarves and Men behind her followed the charge, felt them move the air as they ran past her, and for a moment the druid saw the back of a familiar blond mane of hair, before Fili disappeared in the crowd, the field filling with screeches and screams as the separate armies clashed in battle.

Arinna slung her bow over her shoulder once she had run out of arrows and instead brandished her own sword, the ornate hilt feeling heavy in her already sweaty hand. And then, mustering all her courage, she ran with the second charge, following Bard's call. She felt a war cry leave her own throat as she clashed into the first orc, slashing her sword at it and stabbing it right through the gut, the sound of his death drowned out by all the noise around her.

She fought her way through the crowd, dodging swords, maces and axes coming at her, while she slashed at everything that wasn't Dwarf, Man or Elf. She managed with relative ease at first, though the further she got onto the battlefield, the harder it was to keep any sort of overview. Attacks came out of nowhere and were difficult to evade without running into another one right away.

Soon, she had lost all orientation. In all the chaos, she had no idea what direction she was going, or whether her efforts were making any difference at all. No matter how many enemies she slayed, they seemed to come in endless numbers. The druid's arms had grown heavy and her legs were tired, and she had no idea how long the battle had been going on for, when she finally saw one of her companions again. She had not seen a familiar face in what seemed like hours, unable to identify anyone in the flurry of the fight. Barely dodging a spiked mace that had been aimed at her head, she dove at the ground to evade it, when her attacker was mercilessly killed from behind. The druid looked up sharply as the orc fell twitching to the ground beside her, dark blood staining the already muddied surface.

"No time to rest, lass!"

Arinna felt the weight on her heart lift slightly as she took Bofur's outstretched hand, while he removed his battle axe from the orc's back with his other. He pulled her to her feet in one swift move, smiling at her despite the dire situation that they found themselves in. His face was bloodied and specked with dirt and mud, though Arinna imagined that she probably didn't look much better herself. Dark clouds had gathered during the course of the battle and it had begun to rain heavily, causing the dry plain to turn into a muddy, slippery surface.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Arinna replied with a deep breath, squeezing Bofur's hand shortly before she let go and turned back to face the next enemy with him. It was a large goblin scattering across the ground toward them, its ear-splitting screeches filling the air as it jumped on them with claws and teeth bared. Arinna and Bofur jumped out of its way to either side, not hesitating to bring their weapons down on it from both sides, killing it on the spot. It sank into the muddy ground with a breathless wheeze.

The two friends shared a look, though it was only seconds before they had to dodge another flurry of attacks, and when Arinna next looked up, she had lost sight of Bofur once more. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as she made her way further across the battle field, not knowing where she was going at all. She wished for nothing more than to find her friends, to find Fili in all this chaos and to fight by his side. She had not seen him since the start of the battle, couldn't even be sure if he was alright. All she knew was that forward was the best way to go, and that she would kill any orc and goblin in her path as long as she had the strength.

* * *

Fili had been fighting alongside his brother and uncle for a long time, hours it felt like. He had followed Thorin into the thick of the fight, using both his swords to cut down anything in his path, anything that was trying to get at him, his brother or his uncle. His hands were sweaty, his face wet with blood, dirt and rain. They had been fighting for so long and yet, the number of enemies did not seem to diminish in the slightest. Though the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, Fili felt incredibly tired. But more of them were coming all the time, and there was no moment to rest even for a second.

"Look! Up there!" Kili yelled from somewhere close by and Fili glanced up, his eyes following to where his brother was pointing while he stayed alert for any oncoming attack.

It was enough time for him to see what his brother was referring to. They were at the bottom of Raven Hill and as the blond prince looked up, he saw the familiar form of a tall, pale orc in the distance, at the very top of the hill. Fili had wondered where Azog was, knowing that it was his armies they were fighting, that he had gathered them to end the line of Durin once and for all, and to take the mountain for himself. He could see now that the orc had chosen a vantage point at the top of the hill, from where he could oversee most of the battle and command his armies. He was fighting a small part of Bard's Men and some of Dain's soldiers already, the battle having reached him before long.

Fili looked over and saw that Thorin was staring up at Azog as well, his uncle's face grim with determination. He did not need to wait for the command to know what Thorin would do next. He would go and fight the Pale Orc himself, to cut off the snake's head once and for all. And Fili would follow him, as would Kili. If Azog died, this battle might soon be over. Neither orcs nor goblins would keep on fighting without a leader.

Thorin merely shot both his nephews a nod, before he called out to Dwalin, who had just buried his axe in the head of a goblin soldier nearby. None of them hesitated to follow their king and they fought their way through the chaos toward Raven Hill. Fili slashed and stabbed his way past a number of orcs, following behind the others, keeping their backs clear. Though it was hard to keep track of them, their smaller forms difficult to see in the flurry of the taller orcs and goblins around them. The blond prince could just see the back of Kili's head, his little brother already a good distance further than him. He was trying to catch up to him as quickly as he could, when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back and he fell to the ground with a startled, pained cry that was drowned out in the noise of the battle.

He turned around in time to roll out of the way of the sword that was coming at him, the same sword that had cut straight across and through the armour on his back. Fili felt the sharp pain emanate through his body as he pressed his back into the muddy ground, using one of his swords to slash at the legs of the orc that had attacked him. His blade cut right through one of them and the orc fell, giving Fili the opportunity to unceremoniously cut off its head in one swift move.

He tried to get up then, his feet struggling against the slippery, muddy ground. Ignoring his protesting back, he straightened up and looked around for his brother once more. However, he could not see Kili anymore, and before he had even made it to his feet completely, he was knocked down once more by an oncoming warg, barely managing to get his sword up in time to defend himself. The blade slashed across the beast's flank as Fili fell back to the ground, his head knocking painfully against the side of a large rock that was protruding from the ground.

Blurry flickers of light invaded the dwarf's eyes as he blinked rapidly, feeling warm blood running down the side of his face. He tried to get up once more, his head now heavy and dizzy. He barely managed to lift his head at all, when his vision grew dark and he fell unconscious.

* * *

Kili had kept his eyes forward, certain that his brother was still behind him, following his uncle and Dwalin up the muddy slopes of Raven Hill, where the fighting continued. They made their way through the ever-growing number of orcs, fighting alongside their kinsmen and the Men of Laketown.

The young dwarf slashed at the throat of one of the creatures, turning to look at his brother as it fell dead to the ground. And it was only then that he realised that Fili was no longer behind him. An awful dread filled his heart all of a sudden and his eyes grew wide with fear as he looked around and found no trace of his brother's familiar blond head of hair. How had he not realised that Fili had fallen behind? How could he have been so careless?, Kili thought. He was about to turn back, to go search for Fili, when he heard his uncle call out loudly behind him.

He looked up sharply at Thorin's voice, seeing him yell at the Pale Orc, who was now making his way across the battlefield toward the king. Kili felt the dread clench his heart further when he saw the sly, cruel smile that played on Azog's face, the spiked mace that replaced his left arm swinging slowly at his side. And then he saw Thorin run, alone, while Dwalin was still fighting a group of orcs, his sword raised to face the Pale Orc in battle.

Kili was about to follow when he heard it, the command in a language that he did not understand, Black Speech ringing out across the field. He looked up and saw another tall orc, pale and disfigured, standing on a not so distant boulder, bow and arrow in hand. Kili recognised him immediately, knowing that this was the orc that had shot the arrow that had almost cost him his own life. But his realisation came too late and was of little importance, as the arrow was already whizzing through the air, and then hit his uncle right in the shoulder.

"NO!" Kili watched with wide eyes as Thorin stumbled, slowed and surprised by the attack, while Azog now took up speed. It was mere seconds before the sword in the orc's intact hand sank into his uncle's body, piercing his armour and burying itself deep in his chest.

"NO! THORIN!"

Kili ran. He ran as fast as his feet would carry him.

There was only one thought in his head, only one that mattered at that moment. He had to get to Thorin. He felt something cut his arm, but he just kept running as he saw his uncle go down, the Pale Orc bending over him slowly, saying something that Kili could not hear, as he drove his sword deeper into Thorin's chest.

He had almost reached him, when he saw his uncle raise his own sword from where he lay defenceless beneath the Orc, Azog's eyes widening with surprise as Thorin buried his sword in the orc's neck with one swift, final move. Azog opened his mouth, but only blood spilled out, and Thorin pushed the Pale Orc off of himself, its dead body falling to the ground beside him.

"Thorin!" Kili cried out as he reached his uncle's side, coming to a slithering halt as he fell to his knees beside him, not caring for anything else around him. He dropped his sword, both his hands coming up to press against the open wound on Thorin's chest, warm, dark blood staining his hands as he blinked against the panicked tears filling his eyes. Thorin coughed loudly, wincing beneath the pressure that Kili put on his wound. "You'll be fine! You'll be fine, uncle! We just… We have to… I –"

A heavy hand came to rest on Kili's blood-stained ones and the young dwarf looked up to meet his uncle's tired gaze. His icy blue eyes were dull, a small trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth as he spoke quietly. Kili struggled to hear his voice at all in the noise of battle around them and the sound of his own blood whooshing in his ears.

"Leave it, Kili…" Thorin muttered, straining to get the words out. His breathing was heavy, but the touch of his hand on Kili's was gentle. The young dwarf shook his head, desperately adjusting the position of his hands, though more blood just spilled from Thorin's wound. "It is no use, nephew."

"No," Kili cried, tears now spilling down his cheeks. "No! You can't do this! You'll… you'll be…"

The words did not come. Kili shook his head, trying to force them to pass his lips, but they would not. He did not look up, though he heard Dwalin's shocked voice when the warrior reached them. Whatever Dwalin said did not register with Kili, his desperate eyes only darting up when he heard the voice of the other orc once more, the one that had shot his uncle with the arrow.

He saw it make its way across the battle field, away from them toward another part of the hill. Kili got up without thinking, his mind overcome with rage, and he picked up his abandoned sword and ran after the beast. He barely even heard Dwalin calling after him.

* * *

She had no idea how she had gotten to where she was. She had been pushed up here by the battle, retreating and advancing with the possibilities she had. She had seen small traces of her friends throughout the fight. Bard and Thranduil fighting together, the Elven army having defeated the attack on the Southern spurs and coming to their aid. Bombur, managing to defeat two goblins with one stroke of his mighty battle hammer. But now, she had ended up on this hill by herself, surrounded by enemies. She had managed to fight off most of them, but she was so tired now. She could barely keep her sword up.

There was a large cut down the side of her right arm, forcing her to carry her sword in her left hand. She was not used to using her left and had barely managed to fend off her last attacker. That was when she had seen the pale orc stalking toward her, its eyes focused on her alone, as it made its way across the field.

She had recognised it after only a few moments, realising that it was the one that had escaped after the pack had attacked them in Laketown. The one that had undoubtedly been their leader, and that had seen her kill its companions with her magic. She had felt a terrible fear rising in her chest when she realised that it was aiming directly for her, no doubt smart enough to realise that she was injured and tired, and that she held her sword clumsily in her left hand, making her no match for it. An easy target.

Arinna's instincts kicked in then, and she turned and ran before the orc reached her, trying to lose it in the chaos of battle. But her path led her to a secluded cliff, which the battle had not reached yet, but that was also a dead end. The druid looked around, her breathing quick and shallow as she saw the steep rock wall to one side and the abyss to the other. It was long drop from here to the battleground below.

She tried to decide what to do, when a sudden growl sounded behind her and she whirled around to see the familiar orc make its way toward her, a cruel smile playing on its deformed face. It let out a dark laugh as the druid brandished her sword, deciding to use her right hand despite her injury, if she were to stand a chance at all. Warm blood dripped down her arm and over her fingers onto the hilt of the Elven sword.

The orc watched her for a moment, as though she were but some kind of prey, before it raised the black bow at its side. Arinna reacted instinctively, rushing forward to attack before the beast could notch an arrow. Standing alone in a dead end, she would be the easiest target in the world. But the orc dodged her attack all too easily, and brought its large fist down hard onto her back. Her breath escaped her as she fell to the ground with a pained gasp, barely managing to keep hold of her sword. She turned around in time to see that the beast had now managed to notch a long black arrow and that it had waited for her to see it before it fired. Arinna tried to scramble to her feet, knowing that there was barely any chance of evading this shot, as the orc drew back the string, when she suddenly heard a loud cry echoing over the cliffside.

She saw a familiar figure run past her and her eyes widened as she watched Kili throw himself at the orc before her with his whole body. The bow was knocked from its grasp, scattering across the ground as the orc stumbled. It grabbed Kili with a furious cry, and hurled him away from itself, knocking the dwarf straight into the rocky wall that fenced off one side of the cliff.

Arinna heard Kili cry out at the same time that the orc let out another furious snarl, drawing a large sword and turning to face the brunet dwarf. The druid did not hesitate now, and she rushed forward with her sword raised, slashing it at the orc's arm as it raised it to attack Kili. It cried out in pain and stumbled back, giving her enough time to position herself in front of Kili as the dwarf got back to his feet, swaying slightly.

There was no time to say anything, and Kili only shot her a short look before he rushed past her, his sword raised to attack the orc once again. Arinna barely had time to register his blood-ridden eyes and the unfamiliar look of fury on his face. But the orc reacted quickly and kicked Kili before he could bring his blade down, sending the dwarf hurtling backwards. The orc followed swiftly, roaring as it slashed its own sword at the dwarf, who barely managed to dodge. Kili dived to the ground and Arinna moved forward, raising her blade, but this time the orc was prepared for her blow. It brought up its sword to block her attack, before he countered with such force that the Elven blade flew from Arinna's grasp. She cried out, unable to keep hold of it with her injured arm.

The orc turned to her fully then, snarling darkly at her and grinning as she stumbled backwards into the rock wall, her bare hands clenching at her sides with nothing to defend herself with. She watched as the orc lifted the sword again, before it suddenly came at her with such speed that she had no chance to dodge.

"NO!"

Her vision was blurred with a flurry of brown hair before the impact came. The druid's eyes widened with shock and panic as she realised what had happened, and she saw Kili standing in front of her. And then her gaze fell down to the tip of the blade that was sticking out of his back.

She could not breathe, her hands clawing at Kili's back as the orc withdrew its sword and the dwarf suddenly sank to his knees. Arinna sank down with him, hearing her own horrified shriek echo over the cliffside, though it sounded muffled in her ears. Kili toppled over, a breathless sound leaving his throat and echoing in her ears as his body hit the ground.

She barely had time to think, her hands acting of their own volition as she realised that the orc was raising his sword once more to land the final blow on her. She reached out, her fingers closing around the hilt of Kili's heavy sword that had fallen to the ground with him. Still on her knees, she thrusted the sword forward without thinking, her reactions much faster than her frazzled mind. She drove her blade into the orc's knee, the only part of him that she could easily reach, and the beast cried out with rage and pain as she pulled it back out and it fell to its knees, bringing it level with her.

Arinna met the orc's eye, her reactions faster and her aim true, as her blade sliced through the cold air and clean through the beast's neck. The druid watched as its head rolled off its shoulders, before it fell backwards with a dull thud.

She stared for a long moment, unable to think, unable to breathe. Her grasp on the sword loosened until it fell from her hand, the blade clattering loudly as it hit the ground. Slowly, she looked down at the dwarf before her, lying motionless on the cold stone. As her senses slowly returned, so did her anguish at the sight of the blood that was pooling out of Kili's wound. He was on his back now, staring up at the sky, and Arinna realised that he was still breathing faintly.

"Kili," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper, the dwarf's name catching in her throat as she tried to speak it past her building tears. She reached her hand to his wound, pressing down on it as hard as she could, though she knew that it was no use. The blade had gone right through him, she had seen it with her own eyes. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to let go of him, or to take her hands away even as they were stained red with his blood. "Kili, stay with me!"

The dwarf's brown eyes moved slightly and the druid couldn't help a sob as he met her gaze. Tears were flowing rapidly from her reddened eyes, her breath coming out in heavy bursts as she tried to speak.

"Keep still," she cried, her voice breaking when he just gave her a small smile in return. His breaths now came slow, and with long pauses in between. Arinna shook her head at him, applying more pressure to his wound as she sobbed. "Why did you do this? You idiot, why… why did you do this…"

Kili's smile didn't waver, if anything, his eyes grew kinder as he watched her. His vision was slowly fading and Arinna could see that his eyes were growing unfocused.

"No!" She cried desperately, trying to focus all of her remaining energy into her hands. Knowing that it was no use, she tried to fend off death, as she had done for him once before. "_Numonro hor tul ome! Numonro hor tul ome!_"

"Because…" Kili whispered, in answer to her question, unable to raise his voice at all, as he felt the blood pooling in his lungs. He knew that her efforts were in vain, he could feel it with certainty this time. Death was waiting for him behind his eyelids with comforting, open arms. All he had to do was close his eyes. He smiled again, bringing one of his hands up to cover Arinna's, just as his uncle had done to him earlier in the battle. When he had still had hope that it would all turn out alright. "Because I promised… to keep you safe. Always… I promised him."

Arinna shook her head again, screwing her eyes shut as she let out a desperate sob. Kili gave her hand a small, weak squeeze. "Take care of him… namadîth."

Arinna's eyes shot open when Kili's grip loosened suddenly and she looked at him, desperately applying yet more pressure to his wound. "No! No, no," she whimpered, as she saw that his eyes were now closed. He did not wince at the force she was putting into her hold; he did not say anything else. He had stopped breathing.

An anguished cry left her as she drew her shaking hands from his body, bringing them to her face as she wiped at the tears that just kept coming. She felt all strength leave her as she looked down at Kili's still form, dropping her head onto his chest and crying desperately into the armour that had proven too little to protect him.

Above her, the sky was beginning to lighten with the breaking of dawn, and great eagles were flying across the battle field, though the druid did not notice.


	36. Goodbye brother

**I'm back! Thanks very much to Faron Oakenshield, McKenna079, purple-pygmy-puff16, BrySt1, Miss J Nori, Beatrice3 and Erikawaskiki for your reviews on the last chapter! I'm really sorry about the sad times (they continue), but I'm glad you still thought it was a good chapter! Let me know your thoughts on this one, as always.**

* * *

They were making their way across the plain, stepping carefully and slowly across and in between the many that had fallen. Amongst the bodies of orcs and goblins, Fili could see the faces of Men, Dwarves and Elves alike, feeling his heart weigh heavy in his chest as he looked at them. They had won the battle with their combined forces, and with the help of the eagles, but so many had lost their lives.

The blond prince had regained consciousness only a few hours ago, toward the very end of the battle. He had seen the eagles swooping in above him, and had helped fight the remaining orcs until the very last of them had fallen. And then they had gathered together, a small group of Dwarves, Men and Elves, to look for survivors while the others were preparing their camp for the treatment of the injured. Fili had refused treatment of his own injuries until he had found his friends and family. Instead, he had gone up to Raven Hill at once, where he knew they had been headed when he lost them. That was where he found Dwalin kneeling over his uncle's body.

Thorin was alive, but barely, and he had been carried down to the healing tents immediately. Fili had watched them carry his uncle away, not enough time to process the pain he was feeling, before he turned to Dwalin, who knew what he was going to ask before he even said anything.

The warrior had pointed in the direction where he had seen Kili disappear and was now leading the way there, the blond dwarf slowly following after him. Fili's gaze was on the ground, careful not to lose his footing on the muddy surface. He only looked up when Dwalin came to a sudden halt in front of him, and he slowly stepped around the burly dwarf to see what it was that had stopped him.

A dead orc lay in the middle of the rocky outcrop before them, its body severed from its head. And a few feet away from it was Arinna, sat motionlessly beside his brother's lifeless form.

Fili felt as though the very ground had been pulled from beneath his feet. His breath left him as he saw the pool of blood that surrounded Kili's body and he moved without knowing, without thinking, stumbling mindlessly forward until he fell to his knees right beside his little brother.

"No!" he sobbed, his hand reaching out to touch Kili's pale face and pulling it back sharply when his fingers connected with his cold skin. He stared for a long moment, disbelieving. Kili's eyes were closed, his body cold. His little brother was dead.

A devastated cry escaped his lips, his eyes filling with sudden, desperate, hot tears as he reached for his brother once more, pulling Kili into his lap as he shook his head, again and again. "No, no, no! Kili! KILI!"

Fili did not notice Dwalin coming to stand by his side, did not see the devastation on the older dwarf's face. He did not notice the group of people that had now gathered somewhere behind them, though they had been searching for survivors with him only minutes before. He only reacted once he felt a hand on his shoulder and saw another reaching for Kili.

"NO, DON'T TOUCH HIM!"

His broken voice echoed over the cliffside, stopping Dwalin in his tracks. He withdrew his hand slowly, giving Fili a sad look.

"He is gone, Fili," he muttered thickly, fighting his own tears. This victory had cost too much. Fili did not look at him, shaking his head as he lightly rocked his little brother's body back and forth as though to comfort him, before his gaze flew up toward the druid, who was still sat completely still opposite him. It was as though he was only now seeing her, and he called her name, his voice raspy and quivering.

"Heal him! HEAL HIM!"

Dwalin watched as the druid blinked at the sound of Fili's desperate shouting, and her eyes slowly turned to him, as though he had ripped her out of some kind of trance. She did not move, however, did not seem to have the strength to do anything at all. Her eyes were dull and red from the tears she had spilled. There were streaks of dried blood and dirt on her face, and the warrior looked down at her hands that were held limply in her lap, stained dark with blood. It took her a long time to reply, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at Fili with such sadness that it tore Dwalin's heart apart.

"I cannot heal the dead."

Fili stared at her for a long moment, breathing quickly, before he pressed his eyelids shut, silent tears spilling from behind them and down his cheeks. He hugged Kili closer without another word, dropping his head as he cried loudly over his lost brother.

* * *

Bilbo was sat outside Thorin's tent on a small bench that had been put there by one of the Elves. He had missed most of the battle. After he had put on his magic ring, he had followed unseen with the soldiers to the battleground. He had brandished his sword and had run with the second charge, though after that he didn't remember much. He had been hit by something from the side, had stumbled, and then hit his head hard on a rock on the ground. His head had still been bleeding slightly when he woke up, though the battle had been over by then.

It was Balin who had found him after he had taken off his ring, wandering over the battlefield by himself. It was Balin who had escorted him to the healing tents and had made sure that his head was tended to, and it was him who had told the hobbit that Thorin was badly injured and that the dwarf-king was asking after him. He had gone with the old dwarf reluctantly, afraid of facing Thorin after his betrayal.

He had stood awkwardly by the entrance of the tent at first, though he had soon realised how grave Thorin's injuries were when he caught sight of the majestic dwarf lying almost motionlessly on a makeshift bed. He had made his way over to him slowly then, while Balin had stepped outside discreetly. Thorin took several moments to notice him, his blue eyes distant, as though he was looking at something far away that Bilbo could not see. And then Thorin's gaze had fallen on the small hobbit – and he had smiled.

"I am glad you are here," Thorin had muttered, his voice unusually quiet as he talked. "I wish to part from you in friendship."

Bilbo had shaken his head, had felt the tears forming in his eyes as he looked at Thorin. It had been hard to swallow past the lump in his throat.

"I would take back my words," Thorin continued softly. "And my deeds at the gate. You did what only a true friend would do. Forgive me… I was too blind to see it. I am so sorry that I have led you into such peril, Bilbo."

"No," Bilbo said, when he finally found his voice, shaking his head again as he had grabbed the dwarf-king's hand. "I am glad to have shared in your perils, Thorin. Each and every one of them. It is far more than any Baggins deserves."

Another smile spread over Thorin's tired features and he looked away for a moment, a heavy cough rattling through him, before he brought his gaze back to Bilbo. The hobbit felt him give his hand a small squeeze.

"Farewell, Master Burglar," Thorin muttered kindly. "Go back to your books, and your armchair. Plant your trees and watch them grow… If more people valued cheer and home above hoarded gold, this world would be a merrier place."

And now Bilbo was sat out here in the cold, with Thorin's last words still ringing in his ears. He didn't know how long he had been out here by himself, though his tears had by now run out, his sobs subsided, and there was only an awful emptiness left. He hadn't even noticed that someone had come to sit beside him, though when he finally looked up, he was met with Gandalf's tired but friendly face. The old wizard was stuffing his pipe and Bilbo watched as he lit it and took a few drafts, before Gandalf gave him a sad smile. The wizard was about to say something, when his gaze was caught by something else, and his eyes suddenly grew sadder still.

Bilbo followed his gaze, seeing a small group of people making their way through the camp. It was the party of Elves, Men and Dwarves that had gone out to search for survivors, Bilbo realised. They were carrying someone, and Bilbo recognised Fili among them, lifting one end of the makeshift stretcher they were using. Their faces were solemn, and Bilbo's heart stopped for a moment when he suddenly realised whom it was that they were carrying into camp. He watched with horror as the group brought Kili's lifeless body closer and as they carried him past the healing tents, realising that there was no hope for him, that he was already dead.

He then saw Dwalin following a good distance behind the group, entering the camp with Arinna's hand held firmly in his. She was stumbling after him, her eyes distant as Dwalin gently pulled her along, almost as though she had no will to walk by herself. Bilbo felt another wave of sorrow hit him as the burly dwarf came to a halt right in front of the bench that he and Gandalf were sat on. Dwalin gave them both a small, solemn nod, his gaze drifting toward the entrance of Thorin's tent.

"He has gone," Gandalf informed him quietly, anticipating Dwalin's question. The dwarf inclined his head, his eyes pressing shut for a few moments as he tried to gather his feelings. He had known that Thorin was not going to make it, and so had Thorin. And they had said their goodbyes already, when they had been together on the battlefield. But the pain that clenched Dwalin's heart was still more than the dwarf could handle at the moment. He reached out, gently pulling Arinna – who had not spoken another word since Fili had asked her to heal his brother – toward him. He put one hand on her back, directing her in Gandalf's direction. The old wizard just shot him an understanding look, putting one hand kindly on the druid's shoulders as Dwalin nodded and followed after the others to where they had brought Kili. Gandalf watched him leave, before he directed his concerned gaze toward the dark-haired woman before him.

Arinna stood stiffly, her face and body smeared with blood and dirt. Her gaze was dull and distant, and she did not look at either Gandalf or Bilbo as they stared at her in concern.

"Arinna," Bilbo uttered quietly, his voice sounding croaky after all the crying he had done earlier. "Are you alright?"

The druid didn't answer, didn't even look up at the sound of her friend's voice. Bilbo shot Gandalf a worried look, which the wizard took note of with a small sigh before he got up from his seat, putting out his pipe and stuffing it back into his pocket. He gave Arinna's shoulder a small squeeze, which only made her twitch slightly in reply.

"Come now, dear," the wizard said kindly, glancing down at her injured right arm. "We will get you looked after. Come with me."

He steered her gently and the druid complied without a word as she had done with Dwalin, following mindlessly as he led her to one of the healing tents. Bilbo hesitated for a moment, before he got off the bench and followed after them, unwilling to leave his friend alone in such a state.

* * *

Arinna hardly registered anything that was happening to or around her. There had been a strange whirring sound in her ears from the moment that she had watched the sword go through Kili, an image that kept haunting her, returning vividly before her eyes as though she was still there, reliving the same moment over and over again. And then she remembered Fili's face, contorted with sorrow as he cried, hugging his dead baby brother as close as possible. She remembered him asking her, shouting at her, to heal him.

"She seems to be in shock," someone said close by, though Arinna did not recognise the voice. Her gaze was set on her feet, which were dangling from the edge of the pallet that she had been placed on. Or perhaps, someone had asked her to sit down, the druid couldn't remember. Her boots were covered in a mixture of mud and blood, and she studied the dark texture closely.

The Elven healer exchanged a short look over the druid's head with the old wizard who had brought her here, though he merely gave her a nod. There was very little the Elf could do to treat her patient's mind, so instead she turned to the injury on her right arm.

"Some privacy, please," the Elf uttered softly, nodding for the wizard and the hobbit to wait outside. They did as they were told and only once the tent's entrance had closed again behind them, did the She-Elf slowly reach out and began to remove the first layer of armour that covered the druid's body. It was only once the woman's arm was laid bare and the healer began to clean out the wound, that some life suddenly seemed to return to her.

Arinna flinched at the first contact the Elf made with her injury, ripped out of her thoughts by the sudden, sharp bolt of fresh pain. She pulled her arm back harshly and scrambled out of reach as quickly as she could, acting more out of instinct than actual thought.

"It's alright," the tall Elf said, her face kind and reassuring as she looked at the druid's troubled expression. She seemed like some kind of frightened, feral animal, the healer thought, as she put her hands up slightly to show that she had no malicious intent. "I only mean to help."

Arinna was breathing heavily, staring at the stranger before her with wide eyes. Her mind was whirling and she tried to concentrate on the Elf's face, finding some kind of solace in the calm energy she seemed to emanate. The druid looked around the tent, taking a few deep breaths. It was only now that she truly realised where she was, though she wasn't sure who had taken her here. But it hardly mattered. Nothing really mattered now, she thought.

"Please," the Elf spoke again, giving her a reassuring nod as the druid looked up at her once more. She motioned toward her arm. "Let me help you."

Slowly, Arinna shuffled closer again, realising that she did not have the energy to speak, or argue, or to resist. Her arm was injured, she needed healing. That much she knew, that much made sense. So, she decided to go with what little she knew to make sense and remained silent as the Elf got back to work with a small but kind smile.

She flinched a few times as her wound was cleaned out, her hand automatically reaching for her father's necklace to occupy her fingers and her thoughts with something else. Though as she reached for it, her fingers closed around thin air. Her gaze dropped down sharply, her hand suddenly clasping at her neck as she realised that it was no longer there. The healer pulled back upon her frantic movements, worry filling her gaze, when a sudden sob rattled through the druid's whole body, as the realisation settled in her heart. It was gone, she had lost it. So many years she had kept it safe, treasured it. And now the last thing that remained of her father was gone, had been taken from her along with everything else in this war.

"Are you alright?" The Elven healer asked in concern and Arinna shook her head, only now noticing that she was crying loudly. A soft hand came to rest on her shoulder and the druid looked up, still crying when the healer reached out her other arm and pulled her into a gentle hug. The kind gesture was enough to draw even more sobs from the druid, and she inclined her head, crying without saying anything. The Elven woman held her until her tears finally subsided, and only then did she slowly pull back and continue to treat and bandage the injury on her arm.

Arinna wasn't sure how long she had been in that tent when the healer finished up, giving her a soft smile as she looked up at her.

"Thank you," Arinna muttered quietly, her throat feeling croaky and rough, as though she hadn't used her voice in years.


	37. Long live the king

**So sorry about the delay in updates! I got really caught up in exam season, but I hope you're all still around and enjoying this story. Just a short chapter today to get back on track, more to follow soon. Thanks so much to Miss J Nori, purple-pygmy-puff16 and cherryorpeach for your reviews on the last chapter! Let me know what you think!**

* * *

It was two days after the battle and the mountain was eerily quiet, despite the many dwarves that had taken up their places within it. They had retrieved their injured and their dead, had begun to bury them, Men, Elves and Dwarves alike. And today, special day as it was, there were not only dwarves gathered in the mountain, but also Elves and Men, represented by Bard and Thranduil. They had come for the funeral of Prince Kili and Thorin II Oakenshield, King under the Mountain. To pay their respects.

A mass of people was gathered in the dark halls of Erebor, one of which was illuminated with glooming firelight. So many torches hung from the walls, that this particular hall was almost brightly lit, the firelight bouncing off the veins of gold and mithril that ran through the dark stone walls.

Fili let his gaze wander over those veins, following them from their start to the very top of the ceiling, hardly blinking as their light reflected back into his dull blue eyes. He stared for a moment, trying to imagine these streaks of gold as veins indeed, running from the mountain's heart, deep down within. But there was no life in them, not truly. The mountain's heart had stopped beating.

His eyes slowly travelled further, and he watched from his elevated spot at the far end of the hall as the people gathered below him in the chamber, though he barely registered any of them. Instead, his gaze found his brother and his uncle, who lay on two pedestals carved out of dark stone, ready to be buried deep within the tombs of Erebor. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that this journey would end this way. With Kili and Thorin dead, and himself standing here alive, his uncle's crown weighing heavy on his head.

He'd barely had any time to think since the battle had ended. Everything had happened all at once, it had seemed, after he had discovered Kili lying dead in the snow. He had carried his brother down to the camp, had stayed with him while the rest of the group had gone back to look for more survivors. And then, Dwalin had come to tell him that while he had been out looking for his little brother, Thorin had passed away. Fili didn't really remember what he had said or done in reply. In fact, the whole time between then and today had been a strange, dark flurry of events, that had happened to him, rather than with him. He had played no real part in it, like a stiff, wooden puppet, dragged along by strings, with no control over any of its decisions. Dain had presented him with Thorin's heavy golden crown, Balin had mentioned something about funeral arrangements, someone had said that he should send word to his mother. Fili had done what was asked of him, numbly, without stopping to think or evaluate any of his choices. He did not have the strength to do so. He did not want any of this responsibility. He was grateful for the strings.

And so, after all the arrangements had been made, he was now standing here with Dain beside him, looking down at his companions as they trailed slow steps around the stone pedestals, quietly saying their farewells to the people he loved most in the world. He caught sight of a familiar black head of hair and he followed Arinna's form for a while with his gaze, watching as she stood beside his little brother's body, silent tears streaming down her face. Her right arm was bandaged and held in a tight sling, her face bruised and scratched from the battle still, though Fili did not know who had taken care of her injuries. He had not asked her. His own injury, the slash across his back, had been tended to by someone in the time between the battle and now, though Fili could hardly remember this, either. They had told him that his wound had been severe, that he had been lucky. It did not feel like luck to Fili.

He watched silently as the druid lifted her left hand, seeing her fingers trembling even from this distance, as she brushed them lightly against Kili's still hand. His brother was being buried with the sword he had been carrying, his hands folded neatly around its hilt as it lay atop his chest. Fili could have almost imagined that his little brother was merely sleeping, had he not known about the deadly injury beneath the surface.

He quickly tore his gaze away, instead looking at his uncle, who held the Arkenstone in both hands, the gem being buried with him after Bard and Thranduil had given it back to the dwarves. The blond dwarf wasn't sure what he felt exactly, seeing Thorin take the stone to his grave, but the knot in his stomach tightened painfully.

"THE KING IS DEAD!"

Dain's loud voice ripped him out of his troubled thoughts, and he had to blink several times to realise that everyone was now staring up at him, the weight of several hundred pairs of eyes suddenly resting solely on him. The crown felt heavier still on his head, his breath coming in short bursts as he stared straight ahead, not looking at anyone. He tried to empty his mind, to just let this moment wash over him like the past days had, but it was no use. As Dain called out to the dwarves, and the rest of the people, Fili's mind was filling with images of his uncle, and his brother, and he felt an incredible loneliness creep up inside him.

"LONG LIVE THE KING!"

He felt Dain grab his wrist and raise his hand up to the sky, the loud cheers and applause of the dwarves filling the hall in acceptance and appreciation of the new King under the Mountain. But Fili did not feel any joy. He barely felt anything at all.

Instead, he imagined himself lying down there, still and cold, beside his brother, and Thorin up where he stood, in the midst of his people and his kingdom.


	38. The aftermath

**Another chapter, at least one good thing to come out of self-isolation, eh? Thanks very much to FriendlyNeighborhoodHufflepuff for your review on the last one! Let me know what you guys think of this one.**

* * *

"I've not seen him since the funeral…"

"Aye. I don't think he leaves his chamber much at all."

"I know he's grieving. But surely, he has business to attend to? With the Elves having departed and the Men taking up refuge in Dale..."

"Dain is handling it."

"Dain won't be here forever, though. He has his own business to attend to in the Iron Hills."

"Aye, it's true."

Arinna listened to Ori and Nori talk without saying anything herself. She was sat with them in the kitchens, watching as Bombur was preparing a small meal for them, while at the same time clearing out the place to make it functional again. The brothers had been talking about Fili for a few minutes now and had sent her worried looks in between, noticing that she wasn't saying anything on the matter.

And indeed, Arinna did not know what to say. She knew nothing more than they did. Fili hadn't talked to her since the battle, and it had now been a week since. Much like them, she had barely seen him at all. At first, she had put it down to her own shock as well as his. She hadn't really talked to anyone until the day of the funeral herself, and she could not begin to imagine how Fili felt. He had lost his little brother and his uncle in the span of a few hours, two of the people he loved most in the world. Arinna had accepted that he might want to be left alone, that he would seek out her company once he was ready, if he wanted to. Though that hope had begun to dwindle by now.

"He's not eating properly, either," Bombur interjected quietly, stirring the pot of stew he was preparing as he addressed his friends. He shot Arinna a short look as she took in his words with a small frown, not wanting to worry her further, but nevertheless feeling as though he ought to mention it. "I leave food outside his room every day, he never touches it."

"Perhaps, if you were to take it to him…" the fat dwarf continued tentatively, but the druid shook her head ever so slightly, lowering her eyes as her heart filled with sorrow.

"He does not wish to see me," she muttered quietly, feeling her friends' concerned and surprised gazes rest on her. She felt an uncomfortable knot build in her stomach, as she shortly looked up and caught Nori's eye. "He won't even open the door."

None of the dwarves knew how to respond to her words, not having expected them. Arinna was Fili's One, if she had no way of getting through to him, who would?

"He just needs time," Ori offered up, trying to sound comforting but his words did nothing to console the druid. She gave him a short nod, anyway.

"Bilbo is talking about leaving, as well," Ori continued in an effort to change the subject, causing the others to look up at him in surprise. He merely gave them a small shrug. "Has he not told you? He's going to go with Gandalf. Back to the Shire."

Though they ought to have expected it, this news settled heavily between them, none of them truly able to imagine a day without their little hobbit. Bilbo was part of the Company, Arinna thought with a suppressed sigh, though she could not blame him for wanting to go back home. She couldn't blame anyone for wanting to leave this mountain after all the terrible things that had happened here. Over the past week, she had even caught herself imagining how things would have turned out if she had simply declined Gandalf's invitation all those months ago. Life in Evendim seemed blissfully boring now, peaceful and quiet. If it hadn't been for Fili, perhaps she would have gone with Bilbo, too.

"When are they leaving?" she asked quietly, looking over at Ori again.

"In a few days. They'll be gone by the end of the week, I think," the young dwarf answered with a sad look, letting out a small sigh. He shook his head with a rueful smile. "I will miss him quite a bit."

The druid gave a small nod and the others did the same, and they sat together in a sorrowful silence for a while, the only noise in the kitchen the sound of Bombur occasionally stirring the stew.

* * *

It was a cold night, light sprinkles of snow were falling from the dark sky and illuminating it slightly. Arinna watched as they silently and elegantly glided down and settled on the ground before the mountain's entrance. She was sat on one of the large steps underneath the gate, shivering slightly in the frosty wind that blew over the plain. It wasn't long now until it would be covered in white. She was only wearing a light cloak over her tunic, though the cold didn't really bother her. She hardly felt it.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

The druid jumped slightly at the unexpected voice that sounded behind her and she quickly turned around to see Balin holding up his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"Sorry, lass," he uttered kindly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me, Balin," Arinna answered quietly, giving the old dwarf a reassuring nod as he stepped forward and slowly sat down beside her with a small groan. "I was just lost in thought."

Balin gave a slow nod, while reaching into his pocket and pulling forth his pipe. Arinna watched for a few moments as he stuffed it, before the glowing red light of his match illuminated the darkness around them. The old dwarf took a few small puffs, his gaze wandering thoughtfully over the snowy plain before them.

"How are you feeling, dear?" he finally asked, turning his kind eyes back toward her. Arinna held his gaze for only a moment before she looked away, drawing her cloak tighter around herself.

She shrugged slightly, before she answered him honestly. "Forlorn."

Balin let out a small sigh as he puffed on his pipe, looking at the druid beside him with sad eyes. "You do seem troubled, dear. I am not the only one to have noticed it… Have you talked to Fili?"

Arinna drew in a sharp breath at the mention of Fili's name, knowing that he could hardly be among the people that had noticed her troubled state of mind, before she shook her head. She kept her gaze straight ahead, feeling the old dwarf's kind eyes resting on her as she answered.

"He will not talk to me," she said quietly, sadness tinging her voice. Today had been another day in which she hadn't even seen him once. "I go to knock on his door, but he does not answer. He keeps it locked. He does not come out, does not eat. I don't know what to do, Balin…"

"He needs you now, more than ever," Balin answered, but again, Arinna shook her head. "And you him."

There were a few, long moments of silence between them as Balin's words lingered in the air. As small clouds of smoke from the old dwarf's pipe made their way skyward, Arinna let out a sigh. When she next spoke, her voice was quiet and thoughtful.

"When my father died, all I felt besides my grief was anger," the druid muttered, lightly rubbing her cold hands over her legs, as Balin listened quietly. "Because life just went on. He was buried with the rest of the dead, and a ceremony was held. And then life just went right on without him, and that made me so angry. The woman who took me in, the colony elder… she would try and talk to me about it, about how I felt. And I would lash out at her, shout at her, or say nothing for hours as she would just sit beside me and wait. She tried to be there for me any way she could. We eventually began to talk, and it all became a bit easier with time."

Balin gave a slight nod, waiting for her to continue as she took in another shaky breath. "Looking back, I am grateful that she was there for me when I really needed someone. And Balin, I know that Fili also needs someone like that, someone to help him find a way forward. I know that he needs someone to hold on to in this time, but..."

She felt a heavy hand come to rest on her shoulder when she trailed off, trying to swallow past the lump that had built in her throat. What she was about to say was weighing heavily on her and she wiped at the few tears that had gathered in her eyes. Balin gave her shoulder a gentle, comforting squeeze.

"But what?" he asked, concern clear in his quiet voice. "What is it, lassie?"

Arinna swallowed tightly, sniffling a few times as she wiped more tears from her face. Her voice was cracking as she spoke, finally uttering aloud what she had been thinking ever since it had happened. "But how can I try and be that person for Fili… How can I ever give him comfort, when it is my fault that Kili is dead?"

Balin opened his mouth in shock, quickly slinging his arm around the druid's shoulder as she began to cry heavily. He pulled her against his side, shaking his head as he hugged her. "What in Mahal's name are you talking about, Arinna? Kili's death was not your fault."

"But it _was_," the druid struggled to say through her tears, sinking into herself as Balin kept a firm hold of her, his large hand rubbing up and down her arm in a comforting gesture. "He tried to save me. That is why he died. Because I couldn't protect myself. Because I was too slow, too stupid –"

"Arinna," Balin interrupted her gently but firmly, shaking his head. The druid fell silent, though her body was still shaking with silent sobs. "Kili's death was not your fault. Many good people died in this battle, and there is no one to blame for that but war itself and the evil that brought it upon us. Do not burden yourself with such guilt. You are _not _to blame."

Arinna shook her head slightly, but said nothing else as Balin kept rubbing her arm, suppressing a deep sigh as he looked out over the plain once more.


	39. The falling-out

**New chapter! Though, I'm afraid it gets worse before it might eventually get better. Many thanks to McKenna079, Raven with a Writing Desk, Erikawaskiki and Filisgirl251 for your reviews on the last one, I loved reading your thoughts! Let me know what you make of this one.**

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The druid was standing in front of the closed wooden door uncertainly, the hot bowl of mushroom soup weighing heavy in her hand. She had been standing here for a few minutes now, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, having knocked twice already. She had received no answer, though she knew that Fili was in there. Nine days had passed since the end of the battle, and still, Fili kept to himself at all times. It had begun to worry more people now than just his close friends and companions, and the druid shortly recalled her conversation with Dain that same morning. The older dwarf had taken her aside and asked her to try and talk to him, told her that Fili was needed outside his halls, that he was needed as their king. Arinna had not known what to say.

But still, she was standing outside his door right now, not because she wanted him to fulfil his duties as king, but because she needed to make sure he was alright. And because she missed him terribly. She could not deal with all this grief, pain and guilt on her own, and neither should Fili, she told herself, trying to remind herself of Balin's words.

She knocked again, leaning her head against the cold wood of the door to listen for footsteps, for any movement at all. There was nothing. With a sigh, she looked down at the soup in her hand, before she tried the handle without much hope, having found it locked for the past nine days every time she had tried. Her eyes widened in surprise when she heard the lock click this time, and the door opened with a slight creak.

For a moment, the druid was not sure what to do, though her instincts kicked in quickly and made her decision for her. Slowly, she pushed the door open further and stepped inside the dark chamber on the other side. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light, looking around the room. There was a large bed standing on one side of the room, though it hardly looked slept in. Another door led to a different part of the room, perhaps a bath chamber, Arinna thought for a moment, before her eyes found what they were looking for.

Fili was sat in an armchair in front of the burning fire, his shoulders slumped and his back turned to her. He did not move, making her wonder if he had heard her enter at all. Though it was hard to imagine that he had not heard her knock several times. She felt her heart constrict at the sight of him, after having been parted from him for so many days. She wanted to talk to him, wanted to step forward and hug him as tightly as she could, but she could not find it in herself to do so. Instead, she closed the door behind her quietly and took a few slow steps toward him, the hot soup sloshing slightly in the bowl in her hand.

Fili did not look up when she arrived at his side and Arinna looked down to see that he was moving something around his fingers, passing a small, green stone from one hand to the other and back as he stared absently into the fire. The druid opened her mouth, though no words came out. She closed it again, bending slightly to put down the bowl of soup on the small table beside the chair he was sitting in.

"Fili?"

Her quiet voice sounded oddly loud in the silent chamber, the only other sound being the noise of the crackling fire. Fili did not look up, though his hand clenched around the smooth stone, stopping in his movement.

Arinna felt her throat constrict at the expression on Fili's face, a look of empty sorrow in his eyes that she had not seen in him before, and never wished to see again. Her eyes were suddenly hot with unshed tears as her own sorrow resurfaced with a force, and she tentatively reached out a trembling hand to the dwarf's shoulder. Her fingertips had barely brushed against the soft fabric of his grey tunic when Fili flinched and shrugged her touch off roughly, getting to his feet and quickly taking a few steps away from her.

The druid flinched slightly at his obvious rejection of her touch, her eyebrows drawing together in concern as she watched him. She took a shallow breath, trying to steady herself.

"Fili," she muttered quietly, unsure of what to say. She knew there were no words to comfort him, his loss too deep and too recent for anything to alleviate the pain. Words escaped her as she stared at Fili's back.

"Please," Arinna began again softly, when he still did not say anything, taking a careful step toward the dwarf who still had his back to her. "Please talk to me, Fili. I know how you must be feeling at the moment but it is no use shutting yourself off from everyone. It will not help."

Fili did not reply and did not move, his shoulders stiff as he stared at the wall opposite him, seemingly not paying the druid's words any heed. His fist was still clenched around the green stone. Arinna hesitated, opening and closing her mouth, as he did not react. The druid's gaze lowered to the ground as she released a deep sigh, nodding her head ever so slightly. "Alright," she murmured in defeat. "If you wish to be alone, I will leave. But please, at least eat something. It's mushroom soup. Bombur made it especially for you."

She watched Fili's back for another few moments and when he still did not pay her any attention, she slowly turned away and made her way back to the door, however halting abruptly in her steps as she heard the blond dwarf's familiar deep voice echoing quietly through the room.

"You do not know," he said in a quiet rumble. "You have no idea how I am feeling."

Arinna turned back to him, her eyebrows drawn together in a small frown as she watched him shake his head, though his back was still turned toward her. She was glad to hear his voice at all, and was about to say something, when Fili continued.

"I've lost my family," he muttered, his voice suddenly sounding darker than before as he finally turned around to her, his eyes red from crying as he found her gaze. There were dark circles under his eyes and a hard line creasing his brows. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days. "My brother is _dead_. Do you not understand that?"

"Of course, I –" Arinna started softly, but was interrupted harshly as Fili's voice rose suddenly, making her flinch back slightly.

"How did he die?" the blond dwarf asked, his sharp voice cutting through the air like a knife. Arinna had never heard him speak like this and she inclined her head, more tears springing to her eyes as the image of Kili's death filled her mind once more. She took a shuddering breath, forcing herself to look at Fili as she answered his question. It took her several attempts to form the words.

"He tried to protect me."

Her voice was so small that it barely rose above the sound of the fire, but Fili inclined his head, as though he had expected this answer all along, as though he had already known.

"Of course, he did…" The blond dwarf muttered quietly, his thumb stroking across the smooth stone in his hand – the runestone that their mother had given Kili, as a promise for him to return to her. A promise that had now been broken. His voice suddenly rose again then, and Arinna flinched back as he bellowed at her, his voice cracking as he spoke, though it did not diminish the sheer force of his words. "He died because _you_ could not protect yourself! How could you possibly know how I feel?! Kili is dead! He's dead, Arinna! I will never see him again! I will never hear him laugh or tell one of his stupid jokes again! I can never talk to him again, go to him for advice or even just sit with him in silence while he restrings his bloody bow!"

Arinna's eyes stung as tears began to stream down her face while Fili yelled at her, shouting out all the pain he felt, his words making the druid's stomach turn with how guilty she felt and how much, _oh, how much_, she wished Kili were still here. How much she wished to have been faster, to have been better. Maybe she could have saved him then, maybe he would not have sacrificed himself for her, maybe everything would have turned out differently. But she had failed him. And she had failed Fili. And so, she could only stand there and take in Fili's words, letting them hit her like bricks falling from the sky. She deserved it, after all, she thought.

"My brother is gone!" Fili continued his painful tirade, tears tumbling down his own cheeks now as he yelled at his beloved, raising one trembling hand to point an accusing finger at her while his eyes were unfocused as he glared at her, not even really seeing her. His voice grew louder with every word and the druid flinched again when he suddenly hurled the runestone across the room and it smacked loudly against the stone wall. "He is gone and you are still here! And that is the greatest _injustice_ of it all. If it hadn't been for you, he would still be with me! That blow was not meant for my brother, it was meant for you! It should have been you, not him! It should have been –"

Fili's voice broke mid-sentence, leaving the room in sudden, painful silence, and he stared at the druid before him with wide, blood-ridden eyes. She took a sharp breath; the impact of his words having hit her with such force that she felt her knees buckle beneath her. Arinna felt her hands tremble, feeling as though she may collapse any second as she stared at Fili, her eyes wide with horror as hot tears rolled down her face.

"I –" She started almost soundlessly, her voice cracking before she could even form a sentence. She didn't know what to say, or what to think. And yet, she could not find it in herself to contradict him, for he was right. He had merely said out loud what she had been thinking all along, how could she deny that? Yet, to know that he thought the same as she did, caused her pain beyond belief. The druid found it hard to breathe past the sob that was desperately trying to escape her and that she held back with great force, only able to stare numbly at Fili for a long moment before she finally regained her voice, though it sounded strange and foreign to her own ears as she spoke next. "I should go."

It was at that moment that the anger and desperation in Fili's eyes suddenly turned to horror as he finally realised what he had said. He pressed his lips together, clenching his eyes shut for a moment, his face contorting into a pained grimace. There was nothing he could say now, he knew. Once such words were spoken, there was no way to take them back, even if he didn't think he had truly meant them. He didn't know why he had ever said them. He was just so angry, and sad and desperate and empty, all at the same time.

The dwarf raised one hand to his forehead and released a shuddering breath, tears rolling down his cheeks as he opened his eyes to find the anguish in Arinna's emerald gaze. The sight tore his heart apart, even further than it already was. Fili had not thought that was possible.

"Arinna, I –" he started weakly, but the druid shook her head and he closed his mouth in shame, not knowing what to say anyway. He watched her swallowing tightly past the lump in her throat.

"Please," Arinna mumbled numbly as she slowly turned away from him and made her way to the door. "Don't say anything more. Please."

Fili could only watch helplessly as the dark-haired woman reached for the handle and pulled open the heavy door, her head hung low as the tears kept streaming down her face. She halted for a few moments on the threshold, her fingers flexing on the cold wood of the door as she held it open. She turned her head slightly, not enough to meet his pleading gaze over her shoulder but enough for Fili to see the sorrow on her face as she spoke quietly.

"I loved him, too, Fili," she uttered, her voice filled with tears and nothing but a whisper in the quiet room.

Fili inclined his head, unable to say anything as the druid moved away from the doorframe and disappeared from his sight. The door fell closed behind her with a dull, final thud. And as Fili was left in the silence of the room, he couldn't hold back his sobs any longer, sinking to his knees where he stood and holding his head in his hands, as he realised that he had now truly lost everything.


	40. Farewell, my friends

**Happy Sunday! A new chapter awaits and there's a rocky path ahead.**

**Thanks very much for all your reviews on the last one, I loved reading every single one. Thanks to Filisgirl251, MissRuthless, purple-pygmy-puff16, DawnScarlet19610, ValarenOfGondor, Fair Helen and Erikawaskiki! Let me know your thoughts on this one.**

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Three days had passed since the incident in Fili's chambers. Arinna had not seen him since and she had avoided going anywhere near his chambers. She did not know whether he had been outside since, though she had heard from Dain that he had been able to talk to him about a few issues concerning the kingdom. Though, she had barely taken in any of his information and just nodded along, ignoring the concerned look the old dwarf had given her.

She had spent the past days mostly by herself, avoiding all of her friends when they tried to speak with her. During that time, she had examined her courting braid several times, feeling it weigh heavily and awkwardly in her hair now. She did not feel worthy of it any longer. Did not feel as though she could wear it in good conscience, when she knew the way Fili felt about her. How could she?

She had made her decision the day before, one day before Bilbo's departure from the mountain.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Bilbo had asked her with obvious concern, looking at her in barely concealed shock when she had announced her plans to him. "What about –"

Arinna had nodded firmly, crushing his words, before he had been able to finish his sentence. She had thought about it for a while now, and though her heart was heavy, she knew that there was no choice. Not anymore. How could she remain here, when her presence was but a painful reminder? How could she ever meet Fili's gaze again, when every time he looked at her all he would see was her failure to save his brother?

And so, today she found herself standing at the foot of the mountain, wrapped in several layers of warm clothing with her few belongings and some provisions strapped to the back of a shaggy brown pony. Gandalf had already mounted his horse and was watching thoughtfully from a distance as Bilbo said his emotional goodbyes to the dwarves. Word had spread quickly through the mountain after her decision had been made, and the Company had gathered outside the front gate, faces filled with sadness as the hobbit finished his round, sniffling slightly as he addressed them.

"Uh, if any of you are ever passing Bag End," he muttered, wiping a few small tears from his eyes as he looked at his friends with a smile. "Well, tea is at four. There's plenty of it. You are welcome any time. Oh, and… don't bother knocking."

The dwarves chuckled quietly as they remembered how they had first met the hobbit all those months ago, inclining their heads at Bilbo as he gave a last nod before he turned around and walked toward Gandalf. Arinna felt her friend's hand brush over her shoulder as he walked past her and she took a shaky breath, trying to form her lips into a smile as she looked at her companions all gathered before her. _Not all_, she reminded herself with a pang of sadness.

The druid stood stiffly, unable to move as she caught Balin's kind gaze. He was looking at her with sad eyes, but there was a certain understanding in them that made it even harder for Arinna to look at him. She couldn't imagine not seeing the kind, old dwarf again. She couldn't imagine saying goodbye to any of her friends. She had spent so much time with these dwarves, had come to love them like family, it was almost impossible to imagine parting from them. And yet, there was nothing else for her to do, and so she felt herself move forward eventually, Balin pulling her into a tight hug as soon as she was within arm's reach. Arinna returned his embrace, taking in a sharp breath as she tried not to let her tears take over, though she couldn't help them falling down her face.

"I will miss you, lassie," the old dwarf muttered quietly as he pulled back, his hands resting heavily on her shoulders as he sent her a gentle, sad smile. Arinna couldn't bring herself to return it, and from the look on Balin's face, perhaps he wasn't expecting her to.

She felt herself being pulled in for another hug by Bombur, the fat dwarf squeezing her so tightly that she struggled to breathe for a few moments, though she did not complain. She grabbed the dwarf's hands with both of hers as he released her, looking up at him with a bleary smile that quickly faded from her lips as she spoke tearfully. "I will miss you and your cooking, Bombur," she uttered, feeling her heart weigh heavy in her chest. "Who could ever make a stew as good as yours?"

Bombur blushed slightly and inclined his head in thanks, wiping at his eyes as more of the dwarves moved to hug the druid goodbye. Arinna held them all close, the lump in her throat building with every kind word they said to her, with every sad smile they gave her.

"Please, stay," Bofur muttered as she pulled away from his embrace. He was the last one to say his goodbyes, and Arinna suddenly felt her tears spill over at his sorrowful request and his still hopeful eyes. She shook her head, taking in a shaky breath that turned into a small sob. Bofur squeezed her shoulders gently.

"I cannot," she breathed, struggling to speak as she looked the hatted dwarf in the eyes. Her gaze drifted over his shoulder for a few moments, finding the entrance to the mountain above the large steps that led up to it. It lay behind the company empty and deserted. "There is nothing now for me here."

"But -" Bofur began quietly, though he stopped speaking as her doleful eyes met his again. He could see that there was nothing he could say or do that would sway her. None of them could, he thought, and the one person that might have been able to change her mind was not here. Her let out a sigh as he watched her shake her head again, the druid mustering up a tiny smile to give him, to reassure him.

"I will miss you, Bofur," Arinna said through her tears and Bofur couldn't help his own falling from his eyes as he nodded solemnly, returning her smile with a soft one of his own. She brought her hands up to his hat for a moment, straightening it slightly on his head before she sent him one last look. "_Very much_."

And then she turned away and walked over to the pony that was waiting for her beside Gandalf's horse, saddled and ready for departure. The wizard and Bilbo had already mounted their own steeds, and Arinna put a trembling hand on the animal's saddle, using the other to wipe away the remaining tear tracks on her face, while more just kept running down her cheeks. She took a deep breath, before she swung herself onto the saddle and grabbed the reins. The pony neighed quietly beneath her as she nudged it into a slow trot. She followed behind Gandalf and Bilbo, the wizard slowly leading them away from the mountain, when she finally raised her head, her tears now having subsided somewhat.

The druid turned her head slightly, seeing the company waving at them from where they stood at the bottom of the stairs. She felt her heart constrict again at the sight, before her eyes slowly drifted upwards to take in one last view of the Lonely Mountain, and that was when she saw him. Standing alone at the top of the steps, half hidden in the shadow of the mountain's entrance, was Fili, staring out onto the plain with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Arinna was too far away already to see whether he was looking at her, though she supposed it didn't matter much anymore. But her heart disagreed and gave a hard, painful tug in her chest and the druid quickly turned her head away, bringing her gaze forward as a sob rushed through her throat. She saw Bilbo shoot her a worried look over his shoulder, letting his pony fall into step with hers as she wiped furiously at the tears streaming down her face.

She did not meet the hobbit's gaze and he did not know what to say, what comfort he might give her. And so, he said nothing, and instead just rode beside her in silence, hoping that perhaps she would find a tiny bit of solace in the company of a friend as she rode away from the man she loved and the life they might have had.


	41. Roads go ever ever on

**And on we go! Bit of a longer one for you today, I hope you enjoy and let me know your thoughts. ****Many thanks as always to purple-pygmy-puff16, Filisgirl251, MissRuthless, ValarenOfGondor, Beatrice3, SarahWeasley and DawnScarlet19610 for your lovely reviews on the last chapter, I always love reading from you guys.**

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It was strange to be back on the road. Though Bilbo had always known that he would be going back home eventually, – in fact, it had been one of the things that had driven him on in the direst situations –, this was not how he had expected to leave the mountain. It felt odd to be travelling without the dwarves now and he already missed them only a few days after they had departed from Erebor. On their way to the mountain, most of their nights had been filled with stories and laughter, even music sometimes. Well, the hobbit thought with a slight shake of his head, the nights when they hadn't been running from orcs or spiders, or other things that wanted them dead. Now, however, both the days and nights were mostly quiet. He rode with Gandalf and Arinna, both of whom did not say very much. Gandalf sometimes would be struck with a talkative mood and would converse with Bilbo for a good while, or just listened to what the hobbit had to say.

Arinna, however, only spoke when spoken to, which saddened Bilbo greatly. She was not the woman he had come to know during this journey. The light in her green eyes seemed to have vanished and she never smiled anymore. She simply rode in silence, ate in silence, slept or kept watch – without ever uttering any of her thoughts, though Bilbo could see that they were whirling in her head all the time. Of course, he still tried talking to her every now and again when he thought the moment was right, and he noticed that she did try to make an effort to respond whenever he did, but it was not the same. She was not the same.

They travelled around Mirkwood this time, Gandalf saying it was too dangerous to take the Elven Road again, and though it took them longer this way, Bilbo concurred whole-heartedly, unwilling to chance another run-in with those nasty spiders. And indeed, the longer path allowed Bilbo to try and enjoy the new kinds of land they were now travelling. There was still so much to see of the world.

They rode north for several days and then followed the outskirts of the Grey Mountains to the West uninterrupted. Then Gandalf led them South, along the edges of Mirkwood, and it was after several days of riding that way that Bilbo suddenly began to recognise his surroundings again, seeing the great shape of the Carrock standing out in the distance.

"We may take refuge with Beorn for a few days," Gandalf announced, following Bilbo's gaze. He cleared his throat slightly, shooting a small glance over his shoulder to where the druid was riding along on her brown pony, a little distance behind them. She was looking around as well, though her expression was unreadable. "We will restock our provisions and rest for a while, before we go on."

"It will be nice to see him again," Bilbo uttered with a small smile, nodding at the wizard.

They reached Beorn's house late that evening and the skin-changer welcomed them with open arms. There was none of the suspicion left that had welcomed them upon their first arrival in his lands many months ago. Beorn offered them shelter, food and the comfort of warm beds. Travelling through the winter, Bilbo was more than glad to have stopped here. On their first night, the skin-changer told them that he had also been at the battle and that he had returned home the very next day, travelling through the lands in his bear form.

"I was sorry to hear about Thorin Oakenshield," Beorn spoke over a large pint of ale that night, as they were sat in front of the fire together. "And the young one –"

"Kili," Gandalf provided quietly, giving a solemn nod. "Indeed. A great tragedy."

"Azog nearly succeeded, then," Beorn uttered. "Breaking the line of Durin. Though, I hear one sits on the throne of Erebor even today."

Gandalf let out a small sigh, nodding his head. He glanced up at the skin-changer as he answered. "Yes. Thorin's nephew, Fili, assumed the throne. Though he is young and inexperienced, and after such tragedy, it will take time for him to grow into his role. But I have every confidence that he will restore Erebor to its former glory, given the time."

Beorn nodded his agreement, even though he barely had come to know the blond dwarf, taking a sip of his ale. Meanwhile, Bilbo had followed the conversation silently and now noticed how Arinna got up, as the skin-changer and wizard continued their conversation. She excused herself quietly and the hobbit watched her make her way over to her bedroll, going to bed hours before the rest of them.

When Bilbo woke up the next morning, he found her already gone. He only found her after breakfast, when he left the house to explore some of Beorn's garden once more. The druid was sat on the steps in front of the house, seemingly lost in thought. She only noticed him when he had already sat down beside her and cleared his throat quietly. Bilbo sent her a soft smile as she turned her head to look at him in surprise.

"You were up early," the hobbit said.

Arinna gave him a short nod, and again, Bilbo could see the effort it took her to participate in the conversation. "Yes. I had trouble sleeping."

"I do, too, some nights," Bilbo agreed, letting out a small breath. There were nights when he had nightmares, though he suspected that the ones that plagued Arinna's sleep were much worse than his. He had noticed her tossing and turning many nights during their journey here. "Have you talked to Gandalf about it? Perhaps he could provide some sort of potion, or –"

"I do not wish to numb myself to sleep, Bilbo," she answered tiredly, though she sent him an apologetic look. "But I appreciate your concern."

"I _am_ concerned, you know," Bilbo said quietly, looking at her intently. She lowered her gaze in return. "I just… I care about you, Arinna. You are my friend, and I can see that you are changed. It is as though all your joy has been stolen from you."

He waited for a moment, continuing quietly, when she did not reply. "Are you sure that leaving the mountain was the right choice?"

"There was no right or wrong choice," Arinna answered after a long moment of silence, her voice heavy with sadness, though she did not cry. It was as though her tears had run out some time ago. She looked up at Bilbo with a slight shake of her head. "I had to go. It was the only choice I could make."

"But you love Fili."

A sad smile pulled at the druid's lips at the hobbit's simple words of truth. She inclined her head, nodding slightly. "I do. But it… it is not enough. My love, or his, if it still exists. It is not enough to bridge the space between us, to undo what has happened."

Bilbo let out a deep sigh, watching the druid for a long moment. She averted her gaze and looked out over the grassy field in front of Beorn's house for a while, remembering how she had sat on these very steps with Kili some months ago, when the brunet dwarf had encouraged her to end the argument with his brother. She still remembered what they had been fighting about. She remembered how she had called Fili reckless, though really, she had just been worried about his safety, and how he had said that maybe he wouldn't have to be so reckless if she were able to actually protect herself. The druid felt a slight pang of pain in her heart at the memory of his words. He had been right, even then, she could see that now. Had she been more capable, Kili would not have had to risk his life for her.

"Alright," Bilbo said beside her, ripping her out of her thoughts as he stood abruptly. The druid shot him a confused look when he held out his arm toward her, motioning pointedly. "Come on."

Arinna hesitated, before she slowly got up and let the hobbit link his arm with hers. "Where are we going?" she asked, still confused, as Bilbo began to lead her to the back of the house.

"I may not be able to give back what you've lost," the hobbit uttered gently as he walked with her down toward Beorn's garden. "But I will do my best to bring back your smile."

Arinna could only shake her head in slight wonder, though she followed Bilbo without protest. As they approached the garden, which was partly covered in snow, Arinna remembered the many bees that had populated this area when they had last been here. Though it was winter, Beorn's garden still held much beauty. Great pine and oak trees stood tall around them and the white snow blanket that covered the ground and bushes gave their surroundings a strange calm. Arinna walked silently with Bilbo until he came to a halt in front of one of the large oak trees.

"Here," he said, pulling something from his pocket. "I want to show you something."

"An acorn," the druid muttered, her confusion rising once more as the hobbit held the small object out to her on his palm. He nodded.

"It's from this very tree," he explained slowly. "I took it with me when we left here."

His words stirred a small memory in the druid's mind, remembering how he had told her that he had taken it when they had first departed Beorn's lands. Arinna shook her head, not quite knowing what to say as she looked the hobbit in the eye. "You've carried it all this way?"

"Yes," he answered quietly, closing his fingers around the acorn gently. He let out a small breath, studying her for a moment before he went on. "I am taking it home with me. I'm going to plant it in my own garden, in Bag End. And one day it will grow, and every time I look at it, I will remember. Remember everything that happened, the good, the bad… And how lucky I am that I've made it home."

The druid drew in a sharp breath, pressing her lips together at the hobbit's words. He looked at her kindly as they bore right into her heart, and she had to work to suppress the tears that she had thought to be spent.

"It is a promise, you see," Bilbo uttered, using his free hand to grasp hers and give it a gentle squeeze. "A promise of hope. There is always hope for a new beginning. Because… because when faced with death and such sadness, what can anyone do? You go on living, Arinna."

She wiped the few tears that had escaped her eyes from her cheeks, breathing out shakily as she returned the hobbit's gesture, giving his hand a grateful squeeze. She could not think of what to say, though it was again Bilbo who spoke, his voice filled with kindness as he gave her a small smile.

"Don't despair, my friend," he said. "You will find yourself again."

Arinna moved forward then and wrapped her arms around Bilbo, pulling him into a tight hug. He returned it gladly, one hand rubbing lightly over her back as they stood out there in the snow together, beneath the large oak tree.

* * *

They stayed at Beorn's for nearly two weeks and Bilbo was sad to leave when the day came, though he was also looking forward to getting home. He waved at the skin-changer as they rode away from his lands, and he looked over to see Arinna doing the same. The druid's demeanour had softened slightly over the past days, and a few times, Bilbo had even thought that she was close to a smile, though it never truly came.

"We will make for Rivendell," Gandalf explained to them as they made their camp that night, out in the wilderness once more. "And then it will be only a few more weeks until we reach the Shire."

Bilbo just nodded, preparing a fire, which Gandalf lit easily with the tip of his staff. Though Bilbo knew by now how to build a fire out in the wild, having learned from the dwarves, he was glad for the bit of magic that Gandalf provided. It did make things easier, after all. They ate in a comfortable silence and were sat up still a while later. Bilbo's gaze was wandering between Gandalf and Arinna, lingering on the druid for a few seconds more each time. She was sat by the fire, warming her hands, though she had not said anything since supper. Bilbo could see her retreating into the realm of her own thoughts again, and wasn't sure how good it was if she spent too much time there.

"I have… I have written a song," he uttered finally into the silence, clearing his throat loudly when both of his companions looked over at him in surprise. Gandalf drew his eyebrows together slightly while he was puffing on his pipe, though he said nothing, his gaze instead wandering toward the druid, who had sat up slightly.

"A song?" Arinna asked, her soft voice carrying a slight tinge of disbelief. She shook her head slightly when Bilbo gave a quick nod. "Well… may we hear it?"

Bilbo, though having hoped that she would ask, blushed slightly. He looked at Gandalf, who was watching him out of knowing blue eyes, before he gave him an encouraging nod, curious to hear the song himself.

He hadn't had a chance to write down any of the words yet, intending to do so once he reached Bag End. But he remembered them well enough. And so, Bilbo cleared his throat slightly, bracing himself, before he began to sing quietly.

"Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea;

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June,

Over grass and over stone,

And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on

Under cloud and under star,

Yet feet that wandering have gone

Turn at last to home afar.

Eyes that fire and sword have seen

And horror in the halls of stone

Look at last on meadows green

And trees and hills they long have known."

Silence hung over the camp as he ended, wringing his hands slightly as he looked at Gandalf. The wizard sent him a smile, nodding approvingly, and as the hobbit looked over at Arinna, he realised that she was smiling at him, as well.

"It's beautiful," she uttered, the soft smile still playing on her lips as Bilbo waved her compliment away with his hand. "Really, Bilbo. I love it."

"Thank you," he answered with a bashful smile of his own, though he was more than happy to see her kind eyes twinkle in the firelight. It had been too long since she had smiled like that.

"I did not know you had such a sweet voice, my friend," Gandalf uttered cheerfully, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his own smile as Bilbo blushed again. Arinna's smile widened slightly as she watched him, before her gaze wandered back to the fire before her. The words of Bilbo's song resounded in her head still when she went to sleep that night.

* * *

After another few weeks of travelling, they finally reached the valley of Imladris. As they approached the city of Rivendell on horseback, Bilbo was reminded of its immense beauty. His eyes wandered around the place with wonder, as they had done on his first visit. There was a serene beauty here, a reassuring calm that invaded his senses and his thoughts. It felt good to be back in Rivendell.

Lord Elrond was waiting to greet them at the gates like old friends. He shared a few words in Sindarin with Gandalf, nodding for one of the other Elves to take his horse and their ponies to the stables.

"I assure you, they will be well cared for," the Elf lord said kindly, noticing as Bilbo watched his pony being led away with some trepidation. The hobbit shot him a slightly apologetic smile, inclining his head in thanks.

"I don't doubt it," he said earnestly. "It's just that Petal likes to be fed an apple every evening."

Lord Elrond smiled in slight surprise, nodding at the hobbit as he motioned for them to follow him inside his halls. "I am sure that can be arranged, Master Baggins."

They were invited to dine with the Elf lord that night and were provided with the best food that they had eaten in weeks, since leaving Beorn's house. The feast brought out their tiredness very soon though, and so Bilbo and Arinna excused themselves quite early and left Gandalf and Lord Elrond to talk among themselves. They walked together along the quiet hallways toward their respective chambers, which were situated right beside each other. As Arinna opened the door to her chamber and said good night, she noticed the hesitation in Bilbo's face. She tilted her head at him, as she studies his features.

"You're going to find Petal and feed her that apple yourself, aren't you?" she asked in slight amusement, feeling a wave of affection wash over her, as Bilbo just gave a slight shrug, looking at her sheepishly. On the whole journey here, he had always taken a moment at night to give Petal a special treat, the druid couldn't help but find it endearing. She smiled slightly and nodded, motioning for him to go as she stepped into her chamber. She listened to his quiet footsteps leading down the hall before she turned away and closed the door behind her.

A small sigh fell from her lips as she made her way toward the large, comfortable looking bed that stood in the middle of the chamber. In the silence of the room, she suddenly felt a rush of loneliness overwhelm her, letting herself sink down onto the mattress weakly. She wondered how long it would take her to get used to the feeling.

It was easier not to think about him during the day, when she was riding along with her two companions on the back of her shaggy brown pony. Bilbo was surprisingly good at keeping her mind occupied with other things, and it had become easier for her over the past weeks to let him do so. But in moments like these, when she was alone with her thoughts and the silence, the feeling came rushing back, along with her sadness, sometimes with such force that it took her breath away.

The druid stood slowly, discarding the bow and sword she always carried with her. She carefully put the Elvish weapons down on a table by the window, before she took a few steps to look out onto the evening lights of Rivendell. Her hand softly brushed against the white curtain that covered the side of the window, trying not to think of the face of the blond dwarf that always threatened to invade her thoughts. It was no use though, her inner eye had already conjured him up in front of her and the druid stared at the face she saw in the window's reflection, instead of her own.

She reached up her hand, her fingers brushing lightly over the glass. Fili did not smile, his pale blue eyes piercing as her fingertip brushed against the contours of his cheek. Arinna blinked, and he was gone. It was now once more her own reflection that was staring back at her, though she hardly recognised herself. Her face was pale and thin, dark circles under her eyes, though at least the bruises and scratches she had carried away from the battle had almost healed completely by now. As the druid studied her own face, her eyes suddenly fell on the braid that her reflection was still wearing behind her ear and her fingers tapped lightly against the glass, right where she saw the small metal clasp that held it together.

Suddenly, a sharp knock sounded at her door and the druid jumped, startled by the loud noise in the otherwise silent room. Arinna took a deep breath and turned her back on the window, shaking her head slightly as she made her way toward the door.

"Arinna! Are you asleep? Open up!" Bilbo called loudly from outside, causing the druid to frown slightly at his agitated voice. She increased her speed, reaching the door with a few steps and pulling it open swiftly. She looked at the hobbit with concern as she found him standing outside in the hallway.

"Bilbo, are you alright?" she asked, frowning when he just nodded quickly in return, before he suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand. The druid stumbled after him dumbly, letting herself be pulled with him as the door to her chamber fell closed behind her. "What are you doing? Bilbo, is everything alright?"

She stumbled down the hallway behind him, as he didn't provide an answer, and she pulled slightly on his hand but the hobbit didn't stop. He led her down another long hallway, then around a corner and out into the open air, and Arinna shivered slightly as the cold wind enveloped her.

"Bilbo!" she called quietly, not wanting to raise her voice too much and alert anyone. Her friend came to a short halt, shooting a glance over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Where on earth are we going?"

Bilbo smiled, a bright smile that surprised the druid. She blinked in confusion as he just nodded forward, motioning for her to follow. "You'll see," he said, the excited smile still playing on his lips as he pulled her along again.

This time Arinna followed silently, knowing that she wouldn't get a proper answer if she asked again anyway. Bilbo led her down a few steps and around another corner, seemingly knowing exactly where to go. The druid's frown deepened when they finally arrived at an enclosed meadow and she looked around in confusion as she realised that they were at the stables. Bilbo led her to the very edge of the fence, before he finally let go of her hand. Arinna shot him a questioning look, her confusion only rising.

"Is something wrong with Petal?" Arinna asked with some concern, trying to make sense of why they were here, but Bilbo just shook his head and pointed at something up ahead. The druid sighed and followed his gesture, looking around the meadow where a few horses were grazing underneath the rising moon.

They were beautiful beasts, she thought, several white ones standing out in the dark. They were peaceful and calm. And, in one corner, Arinna could see Petal grazing along with the others mindlessly. She was about to turn back to Bilbo with a question on her lips, when she saw it.

A dun-coloured pony, standing at the far edge of the meadow.

Her heart stopped for a moment; her breath caught in her throat. Whatever she had meant to say to Bilbo had gone straight out of her head as she stared across the field, unable to believe her eyes. But there was no mistaking it. The druid raised both her shaking hands to the fence, feeling Bilbo's gaze on her back as she instinctively lifted herself up and climbed over it. Her feet landed on the other side of it with a soft thud in the grass.

"Lithen!"

The pony's ears perked up and the druid watched as it slowly raised its head from where it had been grazing. Arinna felt her heart ache when she saw her loyal steed look over toward her, before he made a few slow steps forward, as though he wasn't quite sure it was truly her. She raised her hand to her mouth and gave a short whistle, watching as Lithen perked up further at the familiar sound. He suddenly fell into a fast trot and made his way over to her, a loud neigh sounding over the meadow, while tears began to form in the druid's eyes. She felt her knees buckle beneath her and fell to the ground with a small sob, her thoughts whirling in her head.

Lithen neighed again, even louder this time, as he came to a halt in front of her and the druid wiped at her eyes as the pony lowered his head, slightly nudging it against hers. She couldn't help the sob that escaped her as she raised both hands to Lithen's head, her fingers trembling as they made contact with his fur. Lithen neighed again, more quietly this time, and then let out a snort, nuzzling his head into her touch.

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered thickly, leaning her forehead against the pony's head. She stroked his dark mane, crying quietly as he continued to nuzzle against her. "Oh, how I've missed you, my boy!"

She wasn't sure how long she kept in that position, though Lithen eventually lifted his head and she moved with him, slowly getting to her feet. She stroked a hand down his neck lovingly, and as she looked back around to Bilbo, she realised that he was no longer standing by the fence by himself.

"He is yours?" Lord Elrond asked calmly, but with slight surprise swinging in his voice. He was standing behind the smiling hobbit, next to Gandalf, whose eyes were twinkling kindly at her. The druid wiped at her eyes again, crying and smiling at the same time as she nodded.

"We got attacked by trolls, just before we got here, and I… I lost him," she said through heavy breaths, feeling Lithen nibble slightly at the fabric of her tunic. She gave him a gentle shove, stroking his head once more. The pony gave a content snort. "I thought I'd lost him."

Lord Elrond nodded his understanding, his eyes shining with a curious light. "My guards found him just as he crossed over the borders to Imladris," he answered. "In fact, he arrived only a few days after the company of Thorin Oakenshield departed our halls. We took him in with our own horses because he seemed so… docile. We could tell that he was no wild beast. Perhaps he was searching for his mistress all along."

Arinna inclined her head, wiping at her eyes once more, not knowing what to say as the Elf's gaze rested heavily on her.

"Curious, isn't it," Lord Elrond muttered gently, seemingly to no one in particular. "How even after such a long time, some paths are bound to cross again."


	42. Tarnished silver

**On we go. I hope you enoy this chapter, and I promise the sad times will stop eventually! Thanks very much to Filisgirl251, animexchick, DawnScarlet19610, MissRuthless, MissCallaLilly and Erikawaskiki for your lovely reviews on the last one. You guys make my day every time with your thoughts on these characters and their journey!**

* * *

***** 5 years after the battle *****

It was a quiet morning. The sun had barely risen yet and the mountain was still asleep, though it would not take long until the hustle and bustle of the day would start. People would rise from their beds, have their breakfast and go out to work, in the mines, in the market, in the kitchens, and wherever else they spent their days.

His own day had started several hours earlier already. He had gotten out of bed when it had still been dark, as he usually did. He never slept soundly, anyway, so he liked to get started with his day as early as possible. He had grabbed his swords of their stands by the wall and had made his way out of his chambers and through the dark hallways, which were illuminated by torches. He had stopped by the kitchens and grabbed a small bread roll, which he had eaten on his way down to the training ground. He liked to go there when no one else was around, knowing that the guards usually began their training not long after dawn and he did not fancy seeing anyone.

He had spent over an hour, swinging his swords at a target made of wood and hay, then practicing his balance, training his strength and his technique. It was something he had always done, something that brought him a sense of steadiness and calm. He was on his way back to his chambers shortly before the first light of the sun broke across the sky. Once back in his rooms, he changed out of his training clothes and washed, before he got into the fine robes, which he wore every day now. Dark blue, the colour of Durin's clan.

It had already been two hours since he'd woken up, when he sat down for breakfast with his mother. He did not say much, he never did during these times, though they did this every morning. But he was happy to listen to her, while he answered all her questions and made sure that they held a small conversation before he left her for the day.

Then, he attended his first meeting of the day. He was the first in the room, already sat down at the head of the table when his advisor entered. Balin took the space to his right, after which the one to his left was soon filled, when Dwalin entered the chamber, still chewing on a piece of bacon. The rest of his council followed soon after, filing into the room one by one and taking their seats. He listened as they talked, paid attention to what they discussed, considered the arguments they put to him for the issues they presented. He spoke little and listened a lot, only raising his voice when he found it strictly necessary.

Three hours later, he was sat in the throne hall, listening to other people. Every week he held hearings for the people of the mountain, who came to him with problems and requests they had, hoping for his guidance and his help. With him at these meetings were always Balin and another advisor, Lord Thrakur, who was known to the people as the stricter of the two. Of course, the king knew of these rumours and thought that perhaps there was some truth to them, though he had always found the combination of these two councils invaluable.

It was already late afternoon when he came to his last meeting, though it wasn't really a meeting at all. These were hours that he spent alone in his working chambers, reading, writing and answering letters, documents and notes. He never rushed through any of it and always stamped his seal into the wax of every letter with care, enjoying the fact that during this time he did not have to talk or listen to anyone.

Later, after he had sent out the letters that needed to be sent with the use of several ravens, he made his way down into the depths of the mountain. It was late by then, and he had skipped lunch as well as dinner, making a mental note to himself that he would have to grab something from the kitchens again on his way back. But this was a trip that he made every night, making his way down the familiar path, along dark hallways and down steep sets of stairs until he came upon the archway that led to the tombs. He entered quietly and spent part of his evening with his little brother and his uncle, whom he still talked to, though only when he was sure that no one was around to hear him. Nobody ever was at this late hour.

When he returned to his chambers, he sometimes imagined a voice welcoming him home, though tonight he heard nothing. A fire had already been lit in the fireplace and he let himself slump into the armchair next to it, a quiet sigh escaping him as he stared into the flames for a few moments. Then he bent down and took off his boots, letting them drop to the floor carelessly before he leaned back into the chair. He had forgotten to bring some food from the kitchens, he realised, though he didn't think it mattered.

He sat motionlessly for a little while before he picked up the book that lay face down on the little table beside the chair, where he had left it the night before. He read a few pages until his eyes began to burn with the effort of keeping them open. He put the book back in its spot then and got up, discarding his clothes and letting them drop down onto the floor without a care. He pulled on the loose, soft trousers he usually wore to bed, picking them up from where one of the maids had left them neatly folded.

Once he was in bed, he turned onto his side, so his bare back was turned to the fireplace. He always left it burning during the night, letting the flames go out by themselves, knowing that the chamber got uncomfortably cold otherwise.

He lay down his head on the pillow, letting out a small sigh as he closed his eyes. Sometimes, as he lay like this, he imagined someone telling him goodnight, perhaps the same voice that he'd imagine welcoming him home, though he could only rarely conjure it.

He knew that he would not get a full night of undisturbed sleep, though he was used to it by now. He was already looking forward to being able to wake up again.

* * *

The day had begun as usual. He'd gone to train, then had breakfast with his mother and had attended his first meeting. After that, however, he had gone down to the stables and saddled his pony, a calm grey steed that he had grown fond of over the years, and had ridden out. He hadn't told anyone where he was going, knowing that Balin would probably guess, anyway. The old dwarf knew his routine as well as he himself did.

Now he sat with his back against the tree in the midday sun, staring out into the open land before him with a hard expression on his face. The trees on this part of the lands were still young, having been planted and grown after the battle. Fili had buried the seed of this particular tree himself, which was why he kept coming back to it every few months. He always sat in the very same spot, knowing the familiar feeling of his heavy heart and his sorrowful thoughts.

This was the spot. This was where he had found his little brother dead five years ago. This was where he had found the druid watching over his body.

Fili wasn't entirely sure why he always kept coming back to it. After all, he visited his brother's grave every evening in the tombs in the mountain. To outsiders it might seem as though there was no need for him to ride up to Raven Hill every few months to sit in the very spot where he had died, perhaps it even seemed strange that he would seek out the very place where he had lost almost everything that had ever mattered to him. But to Fili the time he spent here was something almost precious. He was the only one that ever came here and he felt oddly at peace when he did. It was as though he felt closer to Kili here than he did when he was standing beside his tomb. As though his brother's spirit still lingered here. Or perhaps he only imagined it.

He could sit there for hours, not doing anything. Sometimes he brought a dagger to sharpen, which he had done today, and other times he just sat with his eyes closed, breathing in the air.

Today he was sharpening his dagger, while his grey pony was grazing a few feet away. Fili took his time, carefully handling the blade until it was as sharp as on the day he had gotten it. The sky was beginning to glow red with the beginning sunset at that point, and Fili finally stood slowly, taking one last deep breath of air as he sheathed the dagger underneath his coat. He stood for a moment, looking out into the distance toward Erebor with a small sigh, before he walked over to his pony.

The steed seemed slightly nervous for some reason, though the dwarf could not tell why, for there lay a peaceful silence over the plain. He looked around cautiously, knowing that one could never be too careful, but there was nothing to fear here, not anymore. Still, the animal was restless, neighing quietly and scratching its hooves against the ground, ripping out a few patches of grass. Fili didn't pay it much heed as he grabbed the pony's reins, shushing it quietly and patting its neck to calm it slightly, when he suddenly saw something on the ground that caught his eye. Out of the corner of his eye, he had seen something glimmer faintly in the grass.

The pony neighed again as the dwarf bent down slowly, looking at the patch of earth that the pony had loosened. There was something stuck in the damp ground there and Fili looked at it curiously, before he took out his knife and loosened the earth further with the tip of the blade. His movements were slow and his face set with a frown as he sheathed the dagger, before he dug his fingertips into the dirt and pulled at the small silver thing he had uncovered.

He felt his heart stop for a moment as he freed the object from the earth, staring at the silver necklace that was now dangling from his dirty fingers. The dwarf's legs buckled slightly as he took a shuddering breath and he fell forward onto his knees, his free hand coming up to touch the small charm that hung from the chain.

It was a leaf.

Fili felt sudden tears fill his eyes as his thumb smoothed over the knotted strand of silver, tarnished and dull after all these years. He carefully brushed some of the dirt away from it. The dwarf's breath came in short, trembling bursts as he beheld the necklace in utter disbelief. His thoughts were whirling in his head, when sudden flashes of the object appeared in his memory, dangling from the druid's neck. And then flashes of her. And then flashes of them.

Fili's fist closed tightly around the dirty necklace as he bent over, feeling a sudden physical pain at the flood of unwanted memories invading his mind, an involuntary, guttural cry leaving his throat and echoing over the hill, as tears began to fall down his face. For the first time in over five years, he had completely lost control over his emotions, and was now sobbing into the grass beneath him, the silver leaf digging into his palm.

It was a long time before his anguish finally began to ebb down slightly and he pushed himself back into an upright position, wiping at his eyes, angrily trying to get rid of the wet tracks on his face. He looked at the druid's necklace again, his fingers trembling as he opened his fist. He wanted to throw it away, to hurl it as far away from himself as possible, to throw it into the River Running and let it be carried away, so he never had to see it again. So that he never had to feel again the way he felt now. He had not felt so desolate, so hollow, since the day of the battle before the mountain. He had not felt the druid's absence as much even on the day that she had left him, but now the wound in his heart had opened up again with a sudden force, and it felt as though it was going to rip his very insides apart.

In the end, Fili couldn't bring himself to throw the necklace away, or to let go of it at all, as much as he felt he wanted to. Instead, his thumb ran over the tarnished silver once more, before he clenched his teeth together and slipped the necklace into the pocket of his coat.

It took him another long while before he finally got back to his feet. He wiped the remaining tears from his eyes and the dirt from his clothes, and took a few last deep breaths, before he mounted his pony and began his slow way back to the mountain.


	43. Healers

**And on we go! I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know your thoughts. Thanks very much to MissCallaLilly, Filisgirl251, DawnScarlet19610, purple-pygmy-puff16, Erikawaskiki, MissRuthless and Aquamarine for your reviews on the last one!**

* * *

***** 7 years after the battle *****

"Apply it every night before she goes to bed. And keep a good eye on the progress of her recovery. Should the coughing not subside, come back and let me know."

"Thank you," the man before her said, taking the small pouch of medicine that she was holding out to him. He rummaged in his pockets for some coin, but the druid quickly shook her head at him, pressing the pouch into his hand instead. The man's eyes widened in surprise and he inclined his head in genuine thanks. "You are a blessing. Thank you very much."

She just gave him a nod, before she watched him stand up slowly and leave. He had been the last one in a long queue of people that had entered the tent that day. They had set up early in the morning, when the sun had only just begun to make its ascent into the sky, and it was now dark already. She got up with a small sigh and grabbed a clean cloth, wiping the small table they used for their business as she did every evening.

"You know, if you actually took people's money, this venture would be a lot more successful."

The druid looked up, seeing a silver-haired man standing by the tent's entrance, two pouches of coin in his hands, their combined earnings for the past two days. He watched her out of astute blue eyes, sending her a pointed look as she inclined her head. His name was Senias and she had known him for many years. Though his silver hair suggested that he was older than her, they had grown up together as close friends, almost the same age, in the druid colony of Evendim.

"He is a poor farmer with a sick child," Arinna muttered in reply to his words, finishing to clean up the table. "I won't take his last coin in exchange for his daughter's health."

Senias just smiled slightly, nodding his head in agreement, though she did not see it as she put away her supplies. She had always been a kind woman, with little care for riches and all the more for the people she might help with her skills. Which was why she was the only person he'd ever considered doing this with. It had been his idea to travel through the lands, to offer their healing services to the people in need of them. And when he had asked her to join him, she had been all too glad to accept the offer.

Arinna had spent almost four years back in Evendim by then, feeling more out of place than ever before. Though she had been welcomed back with open arms, she had known even on her first day back that this was not home anymore. It had never truly been after her father died, yet she had not known where else to go. Though Bilbo had asked her to stay in Bag End, the druid had neither wanted to intrude on the hobbit's much earned return to peace and quiet, nor had she felt it was the right place for her.

Instead, she had spent months trying to reintegrate herself into the colony. But Oromé, the colony elder, the woman who had taken her in many years ago, had known from the start that her heart was not in it. At first, she had kept asking questions, but that had soon stopped when it became clear that Arinna would not talk about the journey she had been on or the things that she had seen. Oromé had not been surprised when Arinna announced that she would go on the road with Senias, who was an experienced druid and healer in his own right. She had wished her luck in finding whatever it was the young woman was looking for, for that was all there was still to say. Three years later, Arinna knew that this life was not what she was looking for, but it gave her more purpose and pleasure than anything else had for many years.

"Here, let me help."

Arinna was pulled out of her thoughts, when Senias grabbed one end of the table that stood in the middle of the tent, helping her get it out of the way. They used the tent for both their business and as their sleeping quarters, changing it every morning and night. They put the small table to the edge of the tent and instead grabbed their bedrolls and laid them out on the ground.

"I think we can expect the first snow soon," Senias said a little while later, after they had been sat together in silence for a while, eating their small supper by the fire that he had built outside. Arinna gave a small nod, tearing apart her bread roll. "You seem quiet today."

Now the druid looked up at her friend, a small frown playing on her face as he shot her a small smile.

"Quieter than usual," he muttered. Senias had known her since they were children and had grown up with her voice ringing out through the druid camp. She had always been thoughtful and deliberate with what she said, but there had always been such joy in her when she had been growing up. She hadn't lost it entirely, even when her father had died. Yet, seven years ago, when she had returned from her journey to the East, Senias had barely recognised her. She was a different woman now, and the one he had known before had never quite returned.

"I'm sorry," she uttered softly, though she knew very well why her voice was failing her today. It was the same every year. The last days of autumn had passed and today was the day that had determined her fate seven years ago. The day that had followed a night of battle. The day that Kili and Thorin had lost their lives. She shook her head slightly, trying to banish the dark thoughts from her mind. "I suppose I'm still thinking about that farmer. His daughter is only four years old."

"You are the best help he could have hoped for," Senias answered seriously, though he was looking at her with slight concern, trying to read the hidden thoughts behind her eyes. "Perhaps we could stay a few days longer this time, to make sure he can find us again should he need to."

Arinna gave him a nod and a small smile. "Yes, I'd like that."

Senias watched as she brought her gaze back to her food, the smile fading as quickly from her face as it had appeared. He suppressed a sigh, feeling helpless in the face of her obvious sorrow.

"It pains me to see you this way," he uttered, without truly thinking about it. However, Arinna merely raised her eyebrows slightly.

"What way?"

Senias let out a small sigh this time, not quite knowing which word to use. In the end, he shook his head, thinking that it was best not to push her. He had learned many things about her journey over the past three years that they had been on the road together, though never the parts that seemed to haunt her the most. On the rare occasions that she did talk about the journey to Erebor, she only ever talked about the adventurous parts, about the company as a whole, the wizard or the hobbit. Senias had never heard her mention to him the man whose name sometimes fell from her lips when she was fast asleep.

"Never mind," he said finally, sending her a kind smile. He got up then, giving her a small nod as he collected their empty plates. "I'm going to bed. Early day tomorrow."

"Early day every day," Arinna muttered, before she thanked him quietly for clearing up her plate. She heard him rummage inside the tent for a while, before the rustle of his bedroll confirmed that he had gone to sleep. She kept sitting outside by the fire for a while longer, allowing herself for a moment to remember. She never usually did, but on this one day in the year, her memories always threatened to overwhelm her. Sometimes, it was better to follow willingly where they tried to lead her.

She allowed herself only a few moments, closing her eyes and waiting for what her mind would conjure up. And within an instant, she found herself transported back in time, to a dark night in Mirkwood. Strange sounds filled the air around her, yellow eyes staring. She felt herself shiver at the thought, before her memory showed her something else. She could almost feel his arms around her then in the dark, could almost feel the soft furs of his coat gliding through her fingers. She tried to remember what he had said to her that night after they had been separated from the company and he had regained his memory, but it would not come to her. The sound of his voice remained lost, as it always did.

She opened her eyes with a sigh, hesitating another moment before she extinguished the fire before her.

"Good night," she whispered into the wind, before she got up and went inside the tent to get some rest for the night.

Outside, the first snow began to fall.

* * *

Several months had passed and they had set up camp somewhere else by summer, near Bree. It was a clear and warm evening, and Arinna had gone out to collect some firewood for the night, while Senias had stayed by the tent, clearing up after another day's work. They liked to share these responsibilities evenly and took turns every other day.

The druid was carrying a small pile of branches and twigs in her arms as she made her way back toward their camp, walking slowly and enjoying the slight, warm breeze that rustled the leaves of the trees around her.

"Roads go ever ever on," she sang quietly to herself, the old tune sometimes coming back to her unexpectedly. It never failed to make her think of Bilbo, which in turn never failed to make her smile. "Over rock and under tree..."

She could already see the camp in the distance, still smiling slightly, when her gaze was suddenly caught by something else. Two unfamiliar horses were standing a few yards from the tent and the druid frowned at the sight, increasing her speed slightly as she made her way to the camp.

Voices carried over to her from inside the tent before she had even reached it, and the druid carefully put down the firewood outside, before she sneaked closer, listening closely.

"I do not want any trouble," she could hear Senias saying from within, his voice forcibly calm but trembling slightly. Arinna wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to, though she received the answer not two seconds later.

"I hear you druids make good money like this," a deep male voice said, a lurking tone accompanying the rough sound of it. "Taking coin from people who are in need of help."

"We only take what is needed. We need to eat," Senias answered quietly, which was met with laughter from the other man.

"Aye," the man chuckled roughly. "So do we! So do we, isn't that right, Tom?"

Arinna couldn't hear the other man replying, though she had already known that there must be two, judging by the two horses that stood outside. She listened, as the first man continued, while slowly pulling a dagger out of her boot at the same time.

"We are in need of help, as well, you see, druid. We are two poor, _poor _men, in need of some money. Because, we, too, need to eat. You understand that, don't you?" Senias said nothing in return, and the man continued, while Arinna sneaked toward the entrance of the tent. She could now see the backs of the two men's heads. And she could see that one of them was holding a knife to her friend's face. Senias was not a violent man. Like most druids, he carried no weapon on him, even when travelling the roads, nor did he know how to wield them. Arinna sighed at the thought, hearing the bandit continue. "I hear you druids are a peaceful folk. I wouldn't want to hurt you, my friend. Give us what you have, and you can keep your face intact. Sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?"

"I'll make you a better one," Arinna said loudly, taking a deep breath as she gathered her courage and stepped forward. Gripping her dagger tightly in her hand, she looked at the two men, who had turned toward her voice in surprise. "You leave – and in return we give you nothing."

The man with the knife laughed out loud at her words, while the other put one hand on the hilt of his sword. Arinna shot him a warning look. "If you wish to live, take your hand off your sword."

"Well, you're a feisty one, aren't you?"

Her gaze wandered back to the man that was threatening Senias, though he had partly turned away from him now and more toward her. Arinna narrowed her eyes at him, tilting her head slightly before she made her throw. The small dagger whirled through the air and hit the man's hand with full force, knocking his own knife straight out of his grasp as it cut through his skin. The man cried out and Arinna quickly turned toward the other one, kicking him in the knee and causing him to drop his sword, before he even had time to raise it properly. Before he could react, there was another dagger to his throat, which the druid had pulled from her belt and which was normally used for collecting plants in the forest.

There was a loud clank on the other side of the tent then, and Arinna looked up to see that Senias had whacked the other bandit over the head with their small, but heavy saucepan, knocking him to the floor. The druid couldn't help a small smile at the wide-eyed look on her friend's face.

"Leave," she then said to the one before her, pressing her dagger into his skin as he gave a quick nod. "Take your friend, and don't come back. Or we'll finish what you've started."

She let the blade of her dagger rest on his neck for another moment, before she retrieved it, watching with alert eyes as the bandit scrambled to his feet and grabbed his semi-unconscious partner off the ground, dragging him out of the tent. She followed them outside, watching as they hurried over to their horses, yelling angrily at one another.

"I thought you said they were peaceful folk!"

Arinna did not go back inside until she was certain that they had gone.

"Where on earth did you learn how to do that?" Senias asked her in amazement as she stepped back into the tent, holding out the dagger that she had thrown. Arinna took it from him with a small sigh, running her thumb across the familiar hilt. She put it back in her boot, where she always kept it, ever since she had received it. "They had no idea what hit them!"

"I was taught," she answered softly, sending her friend an amiable look as he shook his head in wonder. "You weren't so bad yourself, though. Poor man never saw that pan coming."

Senias laughed slightly, waving her words away with a shake of his head. "That was pure panic," he admitted, still looking at her curiously. "I knew you could wield a sword and are handy with a bow, but… that was something else. Who taught you to throw daggers?"

Arinna's mouth opened and closed, the name that had come forth in her mind not wanting to fall from her lips. For a second, she was catapulted back to a clearing in the woods, practicing her throws with his commentary in the background. The druid shook her head, ridding herself of the memory.

"A dwarf," she finally said, avoiding Senias' gaze as he frowned slightly at her words. "He… well, he gave me the dagger. And showed me how to use it."

"He must have been very good, then."

Arinna smiled slightly, looking down at the ground and not seeing her friend's look upon the rare occasion of such a pure smile. He hadn't seen it in a long time.

"He was. And so cocky about it, too. It was a pain in the neck to admit it, but yes, I never saw anyone else wield blades like he did," she muttered, before she walked past Senias and put down her things, sitting down on her bedroll, the firewood that still lay outside in the grass completely forgotten. Senias followed her movements, sitting down opposite her and watching her attentively. He was still reeling slightly from the bandits' attack, but he could tell that something in Arinna had suddenly opened up, and he was determined to use this opportunity before the door to her mind and heart closed again.

"What was his name?" he asked quietly, carefully. He frowned again as she took a deep breath, shuddering slightly as she released it. She stayed silent for a long moment, pressing her lips together before she finally looked up at him, a thin veil of tears covering her eyes, though none escaped her.

"Fili," Senias looked at her as she smiled sadly, before she repeated herself, more to herself than to him. "His name was Fili."

He recognised the name immediately, though she had never uttered it to him consciously before, only ever while she was dreaming. They remained silent for a few moments, in which Senias finally began to understand the expression on his friend's face. He had never seen her look sadder or more vulnerable than in this moment, and he now thought he knew why.

"Arinna," he uttered softly, causing her to glance up at him again. He sent her a compassionate look, his eyes kind as he spoke. "Who was Fili to you?"

"It hardly matters now," she whispered, almost too softly for him to hear but he shook his head at her, giving her a concerned frown.

"I think it does."

Arinna drew in a shaky breath, looking up at her friend with sad eyes. She wasn't sure why she was telling him all this now. "He was… he was the love of my life."

Senias nodded, understanding flooding his eyes as he gazed at her compassionately. He stayed silent for a moment, giving the words time to settle between them, before he quietly spoke again. "What became of him?"

"King under the Mountain," Arinna answered thickly, wiping at her face again as she drew in a deep breath. Senias frowned, confused and surprised at her words. Fili, the man who haunted her dreams, the man whom she had loved for all these years, was not only heir to the kingdom of Erebor, but -

"He is alive, then?" He asked, uttering his thoughts out loud and frowning further, when she simply nodded in return. He shook his head slightly. "Then why did you leave?"

"I had no choice."

Senias looked at her for a long moment, taking in her words. He knew her well, and couldn't help but think that this was something that she had been telling herself for the past seven years, even though her heart kept disagreeing with her.

"I believe sometimes it's easier to think that you don't," he uttered finally, looking at her thoughtfully as she glanced up at him. She said nothing, unable to utter her thoughts aloud or to deny his words. Instead, Senias continued softly, giving her an emphatic look. "Arinna, when you came back to us seven years ago, I thought you had gone through hell and back. And I suppose you did, in a way. You came back to us as someone else, someone we did not recognise and could not connect with, but you never talked about it. I hoped that you would recover eventually, and at times I thought I could see some parts of the old you returning, some parts I remembered of you. But to this day, you seem… haunted. Not entirely whole."

"What are you saying?" Arinna asked in a small voice, shaking her head at her friend as he got up and instead came to sit beside her, grasping her hand tightly in his.

"I am saying that I finally know why you were so willing to leave Evendim with me," he said. "You travelled East to find your home and came back with empty hands. And you never managed to make your old home feel like one again, so you came with me. You ran away and have been running ever since. But you know what I think? I think you _did_ find your home in the East. I think you _did _find where you belong, and where you will find your happiness again. That is where you left it, after all. With Fili."

Arinna shook her head, but Senias simply continued softly. "I can see now that you've been denying your heart for all these years," he uttered, squeezing her hand gently. "Perhaps, I should have noticed sooner, should have asked you sooner. But it is not too late for you, Arinna. I want you to smile again, my friend, like I saw you smile tonight at the mere mention of his name."

"It is not that easy. I cannot go back," she uttered finally, using her free hand to wipe some stray tears from her cheek again, but her friend shook his head.

"How long have you been telling yourself that?" he asked. "Seven years? Your heart is free, Arinna, have the courage to follow it. Take Lithen and _go home_."

The druid inclined her head, letting her tears fall into her lap. She took several shuddering breaths, his voice echoing in her head. She knew that he was right with one thing. She had left Erebor, and with it her joy, and she had never quite managed to find it again, to replace it.

"He does not want me to come back," she muttered eventually, looking back up at him and finding him giving her a kind smile in return.

"How could you know, without trying?" he answered slowly, putting one arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. As she leaned into him, he added quietly. "He is not the only one there that your heart longs to see, is he? These dwarves… they are your family, Arinna. More than I could ever try to be. And if nothing else, family is something worth coming back to."


	44. Old friends

**Sorry for the wait! I got buried in exam season, but now I'm back and with a whole new chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy. Thanks very much to animexchick, DawnScarlet19610, Filisgirl251, Aquamarine, ValarenOfGondor, Erikawaskiki and MissRuthless for your lovely reviews on the last one. Do let me know what you make of this!**

* * *

***** 8 years after the battle *****

"My King, I am pleased to present the plans for your birthday celebrations. I have taken the liberty to prepare the list of invitees, the letters to confirm the plans with them should be sent out no later than by the end of this month."

Fili frowned slightly as Lord Berlif slid the large piece of parchment across the table toward him. They had been sat in council for almost two hours already, and he was feeling rather tired, as he reached out, brushing his fingers lightly over the top of the parchment that had a lot of names written on it, though he did not pick it up to read. Instead, he glanced up at the dwarf-lord with raised eyebrows.

"It seems rather too early for such preparations, Lord Berlif," he uttered, his deep voice carrying no small amount of disinterest. He did not care for his own birthday at all, not anymore. He had never been very comfortable with being the centre of attention in such big festivities. The only saving grace had always been his little brother, who would always manage to make it a joyous occasion. He cleared his throat. "Winter has barely just ended. Surely there are more pressing matters for you to occupy yourself with than preparing celebrations that won't take place until summer."

Lord Berlif's excitement dampened slightly upon the king's dismissive tone of voice and the pointed look he gave him. He exchanged a small look with Balin, the king's advisor, who was sat to Fili's right but did not react. Then he cleared his throat and answered. "Certainly, my King," he uttered, trying to choose his words carefully. "But as we expect ambassadors from all major Dwarven kingdoms to join the celebrations of the King's 90th birthday, it would make sense to send out the invitations as early as possible."

"Some of them will need to travel a long distance to attend," Balin added calmly, finally deciding to react to the imploring look Berlif sent him, looking from the slightly flustered lord to Fili. The blond dwarf stared at the parchment before him for a moment, before he finally gave a curt nod, sliding the document over to Balin without taking a second look at it.

"Very well," he said. "I trust you will make the appropriate arrangements, Lord Berlif. I ask you to take your thoughts and queries on the topic directly to Balin in future, I do not wish to be involved in the planning."

"Of course. As you wish," the dwarf-lord uttered, raising his eyebrows in slight surprise but not saying anything else on the topic. It was unwise to talk back to the king once he had made his decision.

Fili cleared his throat slightly, leaning back in his chair as he looked around the table. Now that this topic was dealt with, his eyes fell on the old dwarf that sat at the other end of the table and he let out a small sigh before he began to speak.

"Now, for more pressing matters," he said, watching as the dwarf raised his old hearing trumpet to his ear. Fili raised his voice slightly, making sure that he could hear. "We have our court physician in our midst today. Oin has brought something to my attention and I would like to address it to the council. He feels he would like to reduce his workload and will therefore be in need of an apprentice."

"Reduce the workload?" Balin uttered in surprise, looking over at his old friend. Oin gave a nod and a quiet harrumph, his hearing trumpet still held closely to his ear. "Are you planning to retire, my friend?"

"I'll be retired when I'm dead," said Oin loudly, his voice echoing off the walls of the chamber. Fili brushed one hand over his beard as he listened, letting the healer speak for himself. "But I am getting old. There are a lot of people to be taken care of in this mountain, and only one physician. I need someone to lighten the load, is all."

"And do you have someone in mind?" Lord Thrakur asked, making a note of something on the piece of parchment he kept by his side on the table. Oin frowned at the dwarf-lord and Fili had to suppress a small smile as he addressed him, his voice even louder than before.

"What are you saying, lad? I mean, lord?"

Lord Thrakur let out a sigh, his gaze darkening slightly as he repeated his question to the old healer, making sure that he was heard this time. Oin nodded his understanding now, before he simply shook his head in answer.

"An announcement will be made tomorrow," Fili said, answering in Oin's stead as his councilmen looked back to him. "Qualified scholars will be able to apply for the position; the choice will be made by Oin by the end of the month."

The council muttered their agreements, and Fili ordered for one of them to make the necessary arrangements for the announcement. He felt a strange sadness in his gut at the thought of Oin beginning his slow retirement, despite him trying to assure every one of the opposite. Oin had been the court physician even as he had been growing up in the Ered Luin, Fili thought, he could hardly imagine anyone doing a better job than him.

The meeting went on for almost another hour, before Fili dismissed it. He kept sitting in his chair while the others gathered up their things and left the chamber one by one, as usual being the last one to leave. However, today, Balin was lingering by the table as well, pushing around and rearranging the parchments before him. Fili watched him for a few moments, until the door fell closed behind the last member of his council.

"What is it, Balin?" he then asked, giving the older dwarf a pointed look as he looked up at him. Balin cleared his throat, finally gathering all his parchments in a neat pile before him.

"Well, there is something I feel I should tell you."

Fili's eyebrows rose slightly and he turned in his chair so that he was able to face Balin completely. He folded his arms across his chest, nodding at the white-haired dwarf to continue, as he gave him his full attention. Balin held his gaze for a moment, before he let out a small sigh. Sometimes, when he talked to Fili these days, he was reminded more than ever of Thorin. He had cared for Thorin dearly, and felt the same toward his young nephew, who had inadvertently had to assume his uncle's throne. Yet, just like he had sometimes struggled with Thorin's stubbornness, he also already knew how this conversation would go.

"Your birthday celebrations –", he started, bracing himself slightly, only to be interrupted by an impatient huff from his opposite. Balin cleared his throat again, ignoring Fili's reaction. "It's quite a big occasion, your 90th, you know. And, well, the thing is, lad, the ambassadors of our allied kingdoms might be bringing some of their female relatives."

Fili frowned in confusion. "Certainly," he muttered with a shrug. "Must we even talk about this, Balin? They can bring whomever they wish. I don't see how this is relevant."

"What I mean is that Lord Berlif has extended the invitations to daughters and nieces, _especially_."

Balin looked at the king quietly but pointedly, watching as Fili's frown deepened, before it finally turned into a scowl. He clenched his teeth slightly, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he let out a deep breath through his nose.

"I see you've caught my meaning," Balin merely uttered, tilting his head at the blond dwarf who answered his words with a dark look.

"I am not in search of a _wife_, Balin."

"I know that, lad," the old dwarf assured him calmly, folding his hands in his lap as he returned Fili's gaze. He could see Fili growing more annoyed by the second. "But as you have left all the arrangements to Berlif, I thought I ought to mention it. I believe he has already sent out ravens concerning the topic ahead of time, so not sending out these invitations would most likely be an affront at this point."

"What a deceitful little weasel he is," Fili growled, turning his gaze away from Balin, who merely gave him a sympathetic look. "What is it to him, anyway? Perhaps I should throw him out of the council, that should teach him not to meddle in such affairs."

"He may have been too secretive about his motives in this matter, but I suspect it is merely because he knows not to push the subject with you. He means well, and makes for good council, otherwise. I must tell you, however, that it is not the first time this particular topic has been brought up."

Fili's eyebrows shot up in reply, before his angry gaze fell back on Balin, who merely gave a small shrug. "I do not mean to anger you on purpose, lad," the old dwarf said, causing Fili to let out another huff. "I am just relaying the facts. An alliance through marriage would fortify this kingdom further, that is all that is being said."

"I do not care what is being said," Fili growled, before he rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "We do not need such an alliance. Our ties with the other dwarven kingdoms are strong as they are, our relations with Dale have prospered ever since the rebuilding of the city. By Mahal, we are even on relatively good terms with the Elves! To suggest I am lacking a wife to fortify this kingdom is utterly ridiculous, Balin, and undermines all the work that has been done. I will not accept this insolence, from anyone. If it would be such an issue to change these blasted invitations, then fine, let them come. Let them bring their daughters and nieces, let them celebrate, and then leave. But if you hear any more talk about these things, I ask you to put a stop to it."

Balin gave a slow, calm nod in return to the king's angry words. "As you wish."

The old dwarf watched in silence then as Fili inclined his head, his hand coming up to rub over his beard again, the anger in his pale blue eyes slowly getting replaced with a distant look. Balin knew better than to interrupt, having come to know that particular expression on Fili's face over the past years. He said nothing, though he felt a pang of sadness and sympathy, as the young king let out a sigh, brushing his hand over his tired eyes, before it fell down onto his chest, splaying over something that was hidden beneath his tunic.

"There was only ever one I would have married, Balin," Fili uttered quietly, his voice but a murmur in the silent room, and the old dwarf inclined his head, letting out a low breath as he nodded his understanding. He slowly got up and put one hand on the blond dwarf's shoulder, giving it a compassionate squeeze.

"I know, lad," Balin uttered kindly. "I know."

* * *

The sun hung high in a pale blue sky, when Arinna reached the valley, the still waters of the Long Lake glimmering in the sunlight behind her. The druid halted her pony, her eyes trained on the mountain that stood proudly in the distance before her, reaching up to the sky and casting a vast shadow over the valley. The druid felt her heart rise to her throat, causing her breath to hitch for a moment before she inclined her head slightly, shaking her head to herself. It had taken her so long to decide to travel East again, she didn't quite know whether it was fear or joy that she was feeling now, back in this part of the world after all these years.

A bit of both, the druid supposed, looking back up at the distant mountain, taking in Erebor's might from afar for a few long moments before she sighed and gripped her pony's reins more firmly again, averting her gaze to the road she was going to follow.

"Come on then, Lithen," Arinna spoke softly to the steed as she nudged him forward slightly, the pony falling into a slow trot upon her command. He was rather old now, but had carried her all this way without a fault. Arinna leaned forward to brush her hand lovingly through his long mane, knowing that this was probably the last long journey that she could ever bring him on, her most loyal companion. "Dale awaits us, my friend."

Going at a steady pace, Arinna made it to the city within less than two hours, feeling her heart beat nervously in her chest as she rode Lithen toward the gate that marked the entrance to the town. One guard was standing there and Arinna slowed slightly as she caught sight of him, though the blond man merely sent her a short nod and a welcoming smile as she passed by him. The druid took a deep breath as she entered the town on Lithen's back and rode along the main street that followed the town walls in a slight rise. The ground was neatly cobbled, her pony's hooves clacking on the bright stone beneath with every step. For a while, Arinna rode further into the town without passing many other people and it was only when she was starting to approach the centre of the town that the streets became more crowded, people rushing from one place to another, their voices filling the air.

"Ho," Arinna uttered, pulling the reins back slightly to get Lithen to halt. The pony did so swiftly, snuffling quietly as the druid expertly hopped off his back. Arinna's gaze was set on her surroundings as she patted her steed's neck gently, grabbing hold of the reins to lead him forward on foot. The druid was met with a few inquisitive glances from the Men around her, as she led her pony through the streets of Dale, observing people bustling about and going about their daily business, soon realising that there was a market taking place at the town square a bit further ahead.

With a small smile the druid made her way there, enjoying the busy way of this town after having last seen it in ruins. Arinna still remembered this same marketplace from when she had first come across it, when skeletons had manned the remains of burnt down stalls. But Dale was nothing like she remembered it now, and it made Arinna very happy to see life having returned here. In a short eight years, the houses, towers and walls that she remembered as piles of rubble and ash had been rebuilt and were thriving just as this marketplace, where many stands were set up, selling all sorts of things. The druid walked past a stall with lovely baked goods and fresh breads on display, another that sold many different supplies for the kitchen, and another that was run by a beautiful blonde dwarrowdam that sold handmade dwarven jewellery. Arinna stood for a moment to admire the pieces, though she did not buy anything.

Arinna took in everything the market had to offer, while Lithen was following along calmly behind her and waited patiently as she stopped again at a stand with fresh fruit and vegetables, where she bought a few apples for herself and her pony. Standing a little to the side so that they weren't in anyone's way, Arinna fed one of the ripe red apples to Lithen, stroking down his forehead gently as he munched away at it. Her gaze wandered over the market once more, not really focused on anything, until she suddenly saw another stall a little distance away and her eyes widened, her heart suddenly in her throat once more.

With a deep breath she took hold of Lithen's reins again, slowly leading him through the crowd toward the stand of children's toys that she had seen from a distance. Arinna's eyes shortly skimmed over the range of wooden figurines, some of them with simple mechanics that made them move, before her gaze settled heavily on the person that was lounging on a chair behind the stall, feet up on the edge of the stand, arms crossed behind his head and a grey fur hat pulled low over his eyes to shield them from the mid-afternoon sun.

Arinna cleared her throat slightly, though Bofur did not seem to hear her, for he did not move at all. The druid took a deep breath, her eyes trained on the familiar form of her old friend as she spoke.

"How much for one of these?" she asked, her voice raised slightly as to make sure he'd know she was talking to him. She watched as Bofur turned his head in her direction, though he did not remove the hat from his eyes, causing the druid to frown slightly as he answered while simultaneously visibly trying to suppress a yawn.

"Two silver coins for a figurine, four for the mechanical ones," he uttered in an almost bored voice and Arinna smiled at the familiar sound of his voice. She remained silent for a moment, closing her eyes for a second, before she opened them again and picked up a small wooden owl, smiling at how intricate its features were, before she looked back up. She remembered the conversation she had once had with Thorin in Mirkwood, when he had told her that Bofur was planning to open a toy shop with his share of the treasure.

"Any chance of a small discount for old friends?" she said softly, watching as Bofur uncrossed his arms from behind his head and sat up straight, reaching up to pull the hat from his face. He blinked a few times against the light as his eyes adjusted to the sun and he began talking before he even looked in her direction.

"Listen, lady, they're too cheap to give anyone any discount," he uttered, finally bringing his gaze to her. "This is fine dwarven craftsmanship. I don't care if you're my second cousin's great-aunt twice removed, you either pay the whole price or you –"

Arinna's smile widened as she finally met Bofur's gaze, the dwarf's eyes growing huge in disbelief as he stared at her with a dumbfounded expression on his bearded face, completely speechless as he saw her standing there before him, so different than he remembered her and yet almost completely the same. Her coal black hair was plaited into a thick braid that hung over her left shoulder, while her eyes shone friendly and green as forest leaves. Over her shoulder was slung a quiver of arrows and an old Elven bow, and behind her stood a familiar, tall, dun-coloured pony that she held securely by its reins.

"Fine then," she said quietly, when Bofur still did not speak, unable to find his voice. She lifted up the wooden owl as he kept staring at her in shock. "I would like this one. Two silver coins you said, yes?"

Bofur's mouth opened and closed a few times without any sound leaving his throat and Arinna waited patiently for him to speak as she quickly rummaged through the small purse that was strapped to her belt, digging out two silver coins. It was just when she held them out to the hatted dwarf, that Bofur finally found his voice again.

"It's on the house," he muttered hoarsely, eyes still wide as he returned her gaze. He shook his head, once, twice, though a small smile began creeping onto his lips beneath his moustache. He let out a small incredulous laugh. "I don't believe my eyes. It cannot be you!"

"It is," Arinna smiled, feeling her heart beat nervously in her chest. She took a deep breath before she spoke again, feeling her throat constrict as she felt tears come to her eyes. "You still wear the same hat."

Bofur's own eyes were wet as well as he laughed, nodding his head. "Aye," he answered with a broad smile. "It's been washed several times since though."

"That is reassuring to hear," Arinna grinned, watching as Bofur shook his head once more, letting out a long breath as he took in her form. And then, finally, he moved, slowly making his way around the stall until he was standing right in front of her, his broad smile mirroring hers as he engulfed her in a tight hug that she returned gladly, her fingers digging into his overcoat as she half laughed, half cried into his shoulder.


	45. Like strangers

**I'm back! Apologies for the delay in posting, promise it'll be more regular again from now on.**

**Thanks very much for your reviews on the last chapter to animexchick, LilyRoseBlack24, Filisgirl251, MissRuthless, nerdalertwarning, Aquamarine, Mia, Erikawaskiki, DawnScarlet19610, Raven with a Writing Desk, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx and marcelabm! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

A few hours later, the druid was sat in a tavern near the marketplace, her hands wrapped firmly around her jug of ale as she looked across the table at Bofur, who was returning her gaze. A small hint of disbelief still remained in his eyes, though he was smiling brightly at her. It made the druid's heart ache and full at the same time to sit opposite him like this, after so many years of thinking that she would never see her friend again.

"I cannot believe that you are actually here. I feared we'd never see you again," Bofur muttered, turning his own tankard around in his hands without actually taking a sip. He shook his head slightly, trying to get his head around it all. "You haven't aged a day."

"That is kind of you to say but hardly the truth," Arinna answered with a soft smile and the dwarf reiterated his words with an emphatic nod. The druid took a deep breath, not quite knowing what to say. Her fingers tapped lightly against the tankard in her hands. She had never imagined that she would come across any of her old friends in Dale. She had thought that she could stay here for a while, in the mountain's shadow, and that this would give her enough time to build up the courage to go and see them in the mountain. Finally, she let out a small sigh and gave the dwarf a warm smile. "It is so good to see you again, Bofur. And with your toy shop."

Bofur inclined his head slightly, the smile still playing around his lips. "Aye, I always thought I might open one someday," he replied. "Although I've only had a proper stall for two years. It was actually my wife who convinced me that I should take my business to Dale, that they would pay good money for dwarven craftsmanship here. Even if they are just toys. And, as usual, she was quite right."

He looked up to see Arinna staring at him with wide eyes upon his explanation, a bright smile pulling at her lips. Bofur had missed seeing that smile on her, remembering her tearful departure from the mountain eight years ago. "You are married?" she asked him softly, her smile widening as he gave a quick nod.

"Oh, yes," he chuckled, his happiness obvious, as he took in a deep breath and leaned his elbows on the table. "I knew her even before I left the Ered Luin. She was a waitress in a tavern there and I used to go in every day, not to drink if you can believe that, but just to see her. Her name is Marla. It is funny, actually, remember when I gave you and Fili those courting beads, when we were on our way to Erebor? They were originally meant for her, you see. I never found the courage to ask her before I left for Thorin's quest. That's why I was still carrying them around with me at the time."

He looked up at her, trailing off as he noticed that her smile had faltered slightly as he recalled the memory. He cleared his throat quickly, silently chastising himself, as he reached out his hand to cover hers. "I'm sorry, Arinna, I didn't mean to bring up anything painful, I –"

"No," the druid interrupted softly, blinking a few times before she shook her head with another smile. He watched her closely, as she sent him an earnest gaze and a nod. "There's no need to apologise, Bofur. Really. Please, tell me more about her. I want to know everything. Do you have any children?"

The hatted dwarf gave a proud nod. "Two," he answered. "Bilur and Thuri, a little boy and girl. Bilur is six and Thuri has just turned four."

Arinna looked at him in amazement, giving the hand that still covered hers a friendly squeeze. "That is incredible," she replied, feeling a whole whirl of emotions rising up inside her as she thought about it. "I am _so, so_ happy for you, Bofur."

"You must meet them," the dwarf said brightly, though he began to frown a little, when she visibly hesitated. He put his tankard aside, not having drunk from it anyway, bringing up his second hand to cover hers on the table as he gave her an intent look. "Don't tell me that you would come all this way without visiting Erebor?"

Arinna took a deep breath, tilting her head slightly as she avoided Bofur's gaze. She took a few moments to answer, inclining her head as she did. "To be honest, I had not made my mind up completely. I was not sure how welcome I would be."

Bofur shook his head in disbelief, squeezing her hands slightly to make her look back up at him. He felt a sting of pain at the sudden sadness he saw reflected in her eyes. "Arinna, do you realise how much everybody has missed you?" he said genuinely, trying to make his words go through to her. "My children know you almost as well as I do from all the stories that I've told them. In fact, the mountain could even do with someone like you, I only just talked to Ori about it a few days ago."

The druid frowned slightly, confused by his words. Bofur sent her a small smile. "Oin is looking for an apprentice."

"An apprentice. He is retiring?" Arinna asked with some surprise. She couldn't imagine the old dwarf doing anything else but care for people. It had always seemed to be his calling and he had embraced it gladly, much like she had. But it had been a long time since she had last seen him, perhaps things had changed.

"No," Bofur snorted, shaking his head. "Oin will probably still be handing out medical advice on his deathbed. But he says he's getting too old to handle it all himself. It's a big mountain full of people, after all."

Arinna nodded her understanding with a smile, lowering her gaze to the table as they sat together in comfortable silence for a few moments. Bofur finally took a sip of his ale and she did the same, feeling the amber liquid flowing coolly down her throat. It was strange to sit here and talk to Bofur so freely again, as though no time had passed at all since she had last seen him. Though, of course, it had. He was married now and had two children. Oin was planning to retire. She wondered how the lives of her other companions had changed. Eight years were a long time, after all.

"Is it because of Fili?"

The druid looked up sharply at Bofur's quiet question, not having realised that he had been looking at her closely this whole time. He sent her a knowing, compassionate look as she drew in a shaky breath. Still, after all this time, the mere mention of his name affected her.

"Is what because of him?"

"I don't wish to bring up painful memories, I just…" Bofur uttered quietly, trying to find the right words as he looked at her, seeing her fingers wrap tightly around her tankard. "Is it because of him you hesitate to come to Erebor?"

Arinna lowered her gaze once more, Bofur's kind eyes too much for her to handle for a moment. He had always been a perceptive person, and so kind-hearted that he always cared enough to ask even the more difficult questions. The truth was, that she wasn't really sure. She had spent the past year thinking about what would happen if she followed Senias' advice and returned to Erebor, yet had not been able to come up with a conclusion. She did not know how she felt about it, either, even as she was now a mere day's ride away. Part of her was filled with joy, another with pure fear. She longed to see Fili, as she longed to see all of her friends, yet she was so afraid of how he would react if he ever saw her again that it almost paralysed her.

She finally let out a low breath, bringing her gaze back up to look at Bofur, as she gave him a helpless but honest shrug. "I am not sure," she answered him genuinely, hesitating before she added her next words quietly. "How is he?"

"He is well," Bofur uttered slowly, thinking about it carefully. "Healthy. He's a good king to our people. I'm… I'm sure he would be pleased to see you."

Arinna just gave a small nod when Bofur trailed off, unsure of what else to say. She had never had any doubt that Fili would make a great king, that he would fill the role that he had been involuntarily cast in with duty and care. She was glad to hear that he was doing well.

Bofur cleared his throat slightly, giving her another encouraging smile, as he changed the subject. "Where are you staying?"

"I thought I'd get one of the rooms here," the druid answered thoughtfully, nodding toward the back of the tavern where a set of stairs led up to a few guestrooms. Bofur nodded, giving her hands another squeeze before he leaned back, looking at her intently. Arinna returned his gaze, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm riding back to the mountain tomorrow morning," he explained carefully, yet with hope mirroring in his eyes. "Should you decide to come, which I sincerely hope with all my heart, I will be waiting for you by the main gate."

Arinna took a deep breath as she considered his words. "Let me sleep on it," she answered and Bofur gave her an accepting nod, content with that answer.

They finished their drinks and then ordered some food, which they ate together among quiet conversation. Bofur told her of his wedding, which had happened almost exactly one year after they had reclaimed Erebor, soon after Marla had travelled there from the Ered Luin with a company of others, among which had also been Lady Dis, Thorin's sister and mother to Fili and Kili. He told her of how he had founded his toy shop, how he had given up on his dream for a while after the battle and had been inspired again after the birth of his son. In turn, Arinna told him how she had spent the past eight years, first travelling back West with Bilbo and Gandalf. She told him how she had taken up her former place in Evendim. She told him all about Senias and how they had later begun to travel together, and that it was him who had encouraged her to go East once more.

They spoke until late into the night and Bofur only went to find his own sleeping quarters in a guesthouse further up town a few hours past midnight. He only slept for a few hours, and when morning had broken, he was sat on the small wagon he used to get his stall to and from Dale underneath the main gate that opened out onto the road that led straight to Erebor.

He looked up when he heard the sound of hooves approaching and felt his face break into a bright smile.

* * *

"If you don't mind me saying, Your Majesty, I do believe that perhaps we ought to re-evaluate our trade contracts with Dale."

Fili looked up from the parchment he had been about to sign. It was an agreement sent to him by Bard, who was now King of Dale, about the continuation of their previous trading deals. It concerned mainly grain, meat and cloth in exchange for gold that flowed into the town's reserve. Lord Thrakur cleared his throat slightly, though he didn't waver under the king's heavy gaze.

"Re-evaluate them in which way, Lord Thrakur?" Fili asked sternly, leaning back in his chair and nodding for the dwarf to explain his reasons. He wasn't inclined to re-negotiate the terms of these contracts with Bard, remembering how they had agreed on them many years ago. It had seemed a fair deal then, and it was a fair deal now. Yet, if his councilman could provide him with solid reasons for the proposal, he would still consider them.

"Perhaps they are a little too generous, your Majesty?" Thrakur said seriously, looking around at the other councilmen, who murmured quietly, some in agreement, others in dismissal.

Fili raised his eyebrows slightly. "You feel they are too generous? What would your suggestion be?"

"A quarter less than we are currently paying," Thrakur offered, his voice matter-of-fact, as he returned the king's gaze. Fili looked at him silently for a long moment, before he let out a small breath.

"Lord Thrakur," Fili uttered, putting his palm on the parchment before him as he looked at the dwarf opposite him with a small frown creasing his forehead. "These terms were agreed upon during the year after the mountain was reclaimed. They built the foundation for the friendship we have with Dale today."

Lord Thrakur inclined his head. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said. "However, if I may say so, the terms were agreed upon at a time in which Dale was just starting to be rebuilt. It would only have been understandable – and very much in the King's generous nature – to offer more than might have been strictly necessary. Today, Dale is prosperous and no longer in need of charity."

"I do not believe it to be charity," Fili answered earnestly, but firmly, suppressing a sigh. "Rather, I do not see the need to haggle for cheaper trade, when we know we are paying the true value of the goods and labour provided by Dale. To do so would seem rather like greed to me, disguised as economic prudence. Attempting to hoard our riches will not yield anything worthwhile."

His words hung heavily in the room, as he looked around to the rest of the dwarves gathered at his table. "What does the rest of the council think of the matter?"

He listened to the first two lords that offered up their opinion, one stating his agreement with Thrakur, the other agreeing openly with the king. The third, Lord Berlif, had just opened his mouth to speak, when there was a sharp knock at the door, before it opened swiftly to reveal one of the guards. Fili's eyebrows rose slightly at the sight of the armoured dwarf, who was breathing heavily, as though he had run all the way to the council chambers.

"Your Majesty, I am sorry to interrupt," he spoke quickly, knowing how inappropriate it was to barge in on the king's council, and he bowed his apologies to Fili, who just waved the gesture off with his hand. He nodded for him to speak, frowning as he listened to the dwarf's hastily spoken words. "We've detained an intruder in the main hall."

"An intruder?" Balin uttered in surprise and slight disbelief, before Fili could say anything, exchanging a look with the king and Dwalin, who both looked equally as confused. Nevertheless, Dwalin was quick to stand up, nodding toward the young guard.

"Can't say I'm not curious," he uttered gruffly, while the guard nodded quickly at him. "Let's see this intruder then."

"Yes, Captain," the young dwarf said formally, turning and leading the way, while Fili and Balin also stood, the king shortly addressing the rest of the council.

"You are dismissed," he said very curtly, as he followed Dwalin out of the door. "We will continue this tomorrow."

The small group walked swiftly, following the young guard, who was leading the way down the many corridors that led to the main hall. Fili was still frowning as they made their way through the mountain. There had never been an intruder before, he wasn't even sure what the guard meant by it exactly. However, guests of the mountain were normally announced beforehand, and Fili wasn't entirely sure how to handle this situation. Though in case that this 'intruder' meant any harm, there would be no choice but to throw them in the dungeon or make sure they left the way they came. After all, what was one unwelcome intruder against the whole of his guard?

Finally, they came to the top of the large stairway that led down into the main hall and as they made their way down the stairs, they could already hear the commotion that was going on downstairs. Fili heard the young guard that had alerted them begin to call out loudly, as he descended the stairs ahead of them, his voice echoing off the walls.

"We caught the toymaker trying to smuggle her inside, Your Majesty!"

"Smuggle!" Bofur's voice carried over to them and Fili looked up in confusion at the sound of the familiar voice, the frown still playing on his face as he beheld the situation. "We came in through the main gate, you call that smuggling, you big dolt?! If I was trying to smuggle her in here, I'd have stuffed her in a barrel of fish. This is outrageous, you –"

Fili didn't hear the rest of Bofur's sentence, his eyes finally having found the so-called intruder. He stopped abruptly in his tracks, coming to a sudden halt only a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe, feeling the air leave his lungs as though he had been hit hard in the stomach. He swayed slightly, suddenly feeling dizzy as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. She wasn't looking at him, but at Bofur, and he could see her mouth moving as she tried to quietly appease the hatted dwarf, while he continued arguing with the other guard that had one hand wrapped firmly around her upper arm. Fili stared dumbly, disbelieving, not noticing that Balin and Dwalin had stopped just a few feet ahead of him, as well.

He drew in a sharp breath, the air passing almost painfully through his lungs, as he took in her appearance, his thoughts suddenly whirling in his head. She looked almost exactly as he remembered her. Her long, raven hair was plaited into a neat, thick braid that hung over her shoulder, her skin was pale, her eyebrows slightly drawn together, though her expression was otherwise soft and patient. Fili felt his heart clench and stop, before it began to beat wildly in his chest. He rather wished for something to hold on to, as he forced his feet to slowly make the last few steps down the stairs.

"Release her," he said, struggling to speak past the lump in his throat as he addressed his guard. The dwarf looked up, though it wasn't him that Fili was looking at. Still, his gaze was set on the druid, who now turned her head sharply in his direction upon the sound of his voice, and he was suddenly confronted with a pair of dark green eyes that he had never thought to see again. The sight sent a sharp pain through his chest. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in turn, and Fili watched as she drew a deep breath before he forced his gaze away and looked at the guard, who was still keeping a firm hold on her.

"But, my King – "

"I said, RELEASE HER!" Fili barked suddenly, surprising even himself, and making everyone flinch, as his angry voice echoed through the hall. It was enough to make the guard's hand fall from Arinna's arm at once, and Fili noticed out of the corner of his eye how her hand came up to rub the spot lightly, though he avoided her gaze. He did not know where to look, or what to do next. What was he meant to say? How could she be here? Fili had the urge to reach out and touch her, to make sure that she was truly real, but he did no such thing, his fingers merely twitching slightly at his side, as he clenched his jaw.

Arinna hadn't been sure what she would feel when she saw him again, or how he would react. Though, nothing could have prepared her for the whirl of emotions that had invaded her body and mind when she had first heard his voice. In all the times she had allowed herself to remember him, his voice had always been something that her mind had refused to conjure up from her memories. To hear it now, echoing off the walls of the big main hall, so close and familiar, had been enough to make her heart stop.

She stood motionlessly, unable to tear her gaze away from the dwarf before her, though he wasn't even looking at her now. In all the years that she had not seen him, age had not seemed to change Fili much at all. His hair was longer, as was his beard, but still golden like the heavy-looking crown he was wearing on his head. His pale blue eyes were focused on the guard that had held her, his face set in a stern frown. He looked a little older, yes, she thought, but mostly his features looked more serious, less joyful than she remembered them to be. She opened her mouth to say something, though no words came out, and before she could think of how to address him, another guard talked over her.

"What are we to do with the intruder, Your Majesty?" The younger of the two guards asked, finally breaking the silence that had settled heavily over the small group. He looked to his king expectantly.

"Would you stop calling her that, she's not –" Bofur started indignantly, though it was Fili who interrupted him, his stern voice silencing the hatted dwarf at once.

"She is a guest," the blond king said, his voice quiet but firm, as his eyes slowly fell back on the druid. Arinna felt her heart beat faster as she held his gaze for a moment, before she lowered hers, feeling suddenly very uneasy under his grim, thoughtful stare. The guard was about to reply, when Fili's eyes found him, and he closed his mouth quickly at the hard look the king gave him. Fili looked around for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts with little success. He could not form one coherent thought in his head, the feeling in his chest tightening uncomfortably. He had to get out of here, said an urgent, anxious voice in his mind, the only thought that came to him with absolute clarity.

"Balin. If you would be so kind as to show… our guest to a chamber in the royal wing. It shall be at her disposal for as long as she intends to stay," he said formally and quickly, before he looked at Dwalin. "Inform the rest of the guard that she is a guest of the king, and that she is to be treated as such."

He waited until Dwalin gave a quick nod, and then turned around without another word, walking swiftly back up the steps that he had come down. The druid watched as he disappeared around the corner at the top of the stairs, letting out a shuddering breath as her heart thumped wildly in her chest. She stood stiffly, barely noticing as the guards bowed to her lightly, and rather unwillingly, before they also disappeared down the hall together. The silence stretched for a few moments, as she stared at the spot where Fili had disappeared, before she was ripped out of her thoughts by a bark of laughter.

"Mahal," Dwalin grinned, his usually gruff face illuminated with unreserved joy as he met the druid's wide-eyed gaze across the small distance between them. "I hardly believe my eyes, is it really you? Pinch me, brother, for I think I might be dreaming!"

"I'm with you, brother," Balin chuckled beside him, shaking his head in amazement as he stared at the woman before him. Arinna couldn't help her own smile now, tears springing to her eyes as she looked at her old friends. She stood awkwardly for another moment before both dwarves moved forward, laughing happily as they each enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Lass," Balin spoke with a happy, slightly tearful smile as he put one hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "It has been too long. _Too long_. We've missed you dearly."

"Aye," Dwalin agreed, exchanging a small look with Bofur who was smiling brightly. "The others will want to know about this. Balin, why don't you show her to that chamber? Bofur and I will gather the rest of the Company for supper. What do you say, Arinna?"

The druid faltered slightly, not sure what to say. Though she gave a short nod after a moment's hesitation, feeling her heart fill with joy at the prospect of seeing the rest of her companions again. "I would like that very much," she said softly. "But I don't want… I don't want to be any trouble. If this is too unexpected –"

"Lass," Dwalin answered, before she could even finish her sentence, or indeed her thought. "Everyone will be over the moon to see you! This calls for a feast, wouldn't you say, brother?"

"Absolutely," Balin agreed, giving Arinna's shoulder another encouraging squeeze. She looked at the old dwarf at the gesture, feeling herself relax at the familiar kind smile he offered her.

"Well, in that case," she uttered, taking another deep breath as she straightened herself up. She didn't know what her decision of coming here would bring, didn't know whether it had been a wise decision at all, judging by the stiff welcome she had received from Fili. But if she were to only spend one evening with her friends, then it would already have been worth it, she thought. "Lead on, Balin."


End file.
